Kangaroos are a vital native species and play a unique and valuable role in the Australian landscape, particularly regarding the contribution to maintaining Australia's biodiversity   They are the emblem of our nation on the global stage, they are what makes Australia instantly recognisable to so many across the world.

Yet every year some 1.6 million kangaroos on average are slaughtered for their skins. They are victims of the largest commercial slaughter of wildlife in the world.

The hunting of kangaroos often occurs at night in remote areas with virtually no monitoring which means our iconic kangaroos are regularly subject to non-lethal gunshot wounds that cause horrific injuries and a slow and agonising death.

The intended welfare standards of the Australian code of practice governing the kangaroo industry aim far above this awful reality, promising minimal suffering, by requiring kangaroos be killed with a head shot to cause a rapid death.

This is not the reality.

Even more shocking is that in addition to the adult kangaroos killed and taken, it’s estimated that hundreds of thousands of joeys are also slaughtered as a mere by-product of this industry. The exact number is unknown due to the shocking fact that the government does not require joeys to be counted in the commercial kangaroo killing industry. Their young lives simply don’t ‘count’.

When a mother is shot for her skin, the defenceless joey found in her pouch is brutally killed by being swung against a hard surface, such as a vehicle, or by simply being left, motherless, to die from starvation, exposure, or predation. It is estimated that this is happening to hundreds of thousands of joeys every year. Sickeningly, this brutal and unnecessary cruelty is legal and entirely government sanctioned as this is set out in the current code of practice which states that joeys should be ‘bludgeoned to death’.

We’re continually working with, and calling-on, brands and fashion companies to stop using kangaroo leather, by reducing the number of animal derived materials used overall in favour of sustainable animal-free alternatives.

To date, major brands including Prada, Louis Vuitton, Nike, New Balance, and Puma no longer use kangaroo leather in their products.

This highly controversial practise has received backlash globally, with numerous high-profile campaigns calling for an end to the industry which represents the largest slaughter of land-based wildlife in the world.

An international YouGov poll commissioned by FOUR PAWS in 2021 showed that 84% of adults globally are concerned for the welfare of kangaroos. In countries such as South Africa, Switzerland, and Austria, these rates increased to 90% and above.

We are encouraging individuals to continue to speak with their wallets and refuse to support these industries by avoiding products that contain this cruel material.

We’ll be continuing the conversation around kangaroo leather, the hidden cruelty behind it and how we plan to end the practise for good in the coming months, so please stay tuned and support us in giving a voice to Australia’s voiceless!