FAQs

The plan is reviewed and updated every 5 years to ensure it is based on the best available scientific knowledge and management practices.  

This review period also meets the requirements of a Wildlife Trade Management Plan, which allows the export of kangaroo products internationally, under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

The draft plan will undergo a further 20 business day consultation phase as a Wildlife Trade Management Plan after this consultation has closed. 

This plan will then be approved by the Australian Government’s Minister for the Environment and Water.

An independent review of the SA Commercial Kangaroo Management Plan 2020–2024 measured DEW’s performance against the 61 performance indicators (PIs) detailed in the plan. 

For each PI, an assessment was done of whether the PI was achieved, partially achieved or not achieved. In total, of the 61 PIs, 41 (67%) were considered achieved, 10 (16%) partially achieved and 7 (11%) not achieved with no progress made; 3 (5%) were flagged as being unable to be assessed or in progress. 

The review made 40 recommendations, of which 37 were included in the draft South Australian Commercial Kangaroo Management Plan 2025–2029. 

All South Australian wildlife, including kangaroos, can be significantly affected by emergency events, including bushfires and floods.

In recognition of this, the management plan proposes that DEW may adjust harvest quotas or temporarily shut down commercial harvest in affected areas during and after emergency events.

This would consider the type and scale of emergency event, the potential impact to kangaroo populations and the environment, and the safety of people in the area. 

Any changes would be communicated to kangaroo industry permit holders by DEW in a timely fashion.

You can read more about this proposed change on page 16 of the draft management plan.

The management plan proposes using a more flexible approach to kangaroo surveying, centred around using risk analysis to determine where survey effort is most needed.

This change is an extension on the risk analysis originally introduced in the previous plan and used successfully over the last 5 years.

It removes previous requirements to:

• survey all sub-regions every 3 years where a certain harvest level occurs
• survey sub-regions in the Southern Agricultural zone every 5 years regardless of harvest level.

By removing these requirements, resources can be placed where they are most needed.

This flexibility will become even more important in a changing climate, ensuring that sub-regions with high harvest are monitored more closely than those with a lower harvest. Environmental considerations, harvest rate, weather and climate forecasting, and length of time since last survey will all factor into the risk assessment.

If we are concerned about kangaroo populations in a particular area, additional surveys may be conducted to ensure accurate information on the population size is obtained prior to setting quotas.

You can read more about this proposed change on page 13 of the draft management plan.

We set quotas for commercial harvest based on a sustainable proportion of the kangaroo population estimate, which is either observed through on-ground surveys or based on population models.

This quota setting approach allows for natural fluctuations in kangaroo numbers, which may occur because of high rainfall or drought, without affecting long-term conservation.

When sub-regions are not surveyed annually, previous management plans have taken a conservative approach and required these quotas to be automatically reduced to 10% of the population estimate between survey years.

This management plan proposes that requirement be removed, allowing yearly quotas stay the same for up to 3 years between surveys.

The risk of over-harvesting between surveys is extremely low and will be assessed each year using the risk assessment (refer to our previous FAQ for more information). By maintaining the original quota for up to 3 years, SA aligns its procedures with the quota setting approach used by the NSW for harvest areas that are not surveyed every year.

The proportional quotas are not proposed to change, and are:

• Red kangaroo – maximum of 20% of the population
• Eastern and western grey kangaroos – maximum of 15% of the population
• Euros – maximum of 15% of the population
• Tammar wallabies – maximum of 10% of the population

If we are concerned about kangaroo populations in a particular area, additional surveys may be conducted to ensure accurate information on the population size is obtained prior to setting quotas.

You can read more about this proposed change on page 14 of the draft management plan.

Previous management plans have only allowed the commercial harvest of eastern grey kangaroos in the Lower South East sub-region.

Since then, these kangaroos have been noted in small numbers in other sub-regions, including Upper South East, Hills and Fleurieu, Mallee and Yorke Mid North.

As a result, this management plan enables quotas to be issued in other areas on an as needs basis. This will allow kangaroos that would otherwise be culled under the non-commercial system to be used commercially.

You can read more about this proposed change on page 16 of the draft management plan.

The draft management plan includes an expansion to the Hills and Fleurieu sub-region to include the Adelaide foothills and national parks and reserves. This excludes the Adelaide CBD and surrounding metropolitan areas.

The expansion of the harvest sub-region aims to provide landholders with an additional tool for managing kangaroos on their properties if needed. On properties where landholders wish to manage kangaroos, this expansion will provide landholders with the option to engage the kangaroo industry. 

For DEW parks and reserves within the commercial harvest zone, harvesting may occur where kangaroo management is provided for in an approved park management plan. 

Some of the parks and reserves within the proposed boundary include: 

• Cobbler Creek Recreation Park
• Anstey Hill Recreation Park 
• Cleland National Park
• Belair National Park 
• Sturt George Recreation Park
• Shepherds Hill Recreation Park 
• Glenthorne National Park - Ityamaiitpinna Yarta

This purpose of this boundary change is to enable more consistent management of kangaroos across the region.

Since the harvest zone was expanded in 2020, we have received feedback from landholders in the Adelaide Hills area that kangaroo numbers are high, and they would like to utilise the commercial industry to assist them in managing kangaroos on their properties.

However, as it stands, areas like Onkaparinga Hills have been split in half by the current harvest boundary, which makes kangaroo management across the landscape difficult.

Amending the boundary will enable landholders to utilise the commercial industry if required.  

You can view a map of the proposed expansion.

No, kangaroo harvesters must seek written permission from the landholder before entering a property to harvest kangaroos. So if you don’t want a harvester on your property, you can say no if approached.

No, the proposed expansion excludes the Adelaide CBD and surrounding metropolitan areas.

The proposed expansion only includes the Adelaide foothills and national parks and reserves within this area to enable more consistent kangaroo management. 

If you are a kangaroo industry permit holder – the proposed changes aim to streamline some elements of the commercial kangaroo industry and increase flexibility. There should be no significant change to your current practices.  

If you are a landholder – the proposed changes aim to increase flexibility and improve access for you to utilise the commercial industry as a method to manage high number of kangaroos on your property.

If you live within the Adelaide metropolitan area – the proposed changes will not affect you. The Adelaide CBD and surrounding metropolitan areas have been excluded from the proposed harvest region boundary change. 

If you live within the Adelaide foothills area – the proposed changes will not affect you. The same requirements, restrictions and regulations apply to the commercial kangaroo industry as under previous management plans. 

Any kangaroo management, harvesting or culling undertaken within a park is done so in accordance with strict public safety protocols. 

Part or all of a park may be closed, or access restrict­ed as needed while management activities are undertaken. 

DEW makes every effort to give as much notice as possible before closing or changing access to a park, and you can keep up to date on closures by visiting the parks website.

Commercial harvesting is where kangaroos are humanely culled by professional shooters and their carcasses are sold for meat and leather production.

The following species can be harvested:

• Red kangaroo
• Western grey kangaroo, which includes the mainland subspecies and the Kangaroo Island subspecies
• Eastern grey kangaroo
• Euro
• Tammar wallaby, excluding mainland populations.

These species are not proposed to change in the 2025–2029 draft plan.

About 3.9 million kangaroos were recorded in the commercial harvest zone during 2023.

These population numbers are consistent with those recorded in previous years, with an estimated 3.8 million recorded in 2022 and 2.7 million in 2021.

Since European settlement, kangaroo numbers have increased substantially in South Australia.

Many kangaroos have benefited from increased access to water, grazing land, and the removal of their main predator, the dingo.

High numbers put pressure on the environment, the quality of life of kangaroos, the agricultural industry, and also pose a risk to public safety due to potential traffic accidents.

Kangaroo protection and management is administered under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 and associated regulations.

Kangaroos are an iconic species and a recognisable part of the Australian landscape. They play an important role within our ecosystems, our cultural identity and our tourism industry.   

The SA Commercial Kangaroo Management Plan enables commercial harvesting to take place while balancing the long-term conservation of kangaroos in South Australia. It identifies which species can be harvested, where it can take place, and informs sustainable harvest quotas. 

Having a plan is a way to safeguard the conservation of kangaroos and regulate the commercial industry.

All macropod species in South Australia are also protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972.

Animal welfare is an important consideration in any management activity.  

Commercial harvesting can only be undertaken by permitted Kangaroo Field Processors and with permission from the landowner.

To become a Kangaroo Field Processor, people must complete and pass a shooting accuracy test and a meat hygiene course run by TAFE SA.

All kangaroos must be shot humanely and according to the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes.

DEW encourages the use of non-lethal methods, such as using fencing and limiting access to water, to manage kangaroo impacts.

Kangaroos may also be managed commercially through the kangaroo industry by permitted Kangaroo Field Processors, and non-commercially through Permits to Destroy Wildlife applied for by landholders.