Commercial exploitation of Kangaroos in Victoria: Q1 2026
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“The highest share of females killed for commercial gain in any shooting zone was in Barwon Southwest where 46 per cent of the Eastern Grey Kangaroos killed were female, the Grampians shooting followed, again Eastern Greys, at 44 per cent”.
CONTEXT: In 2025 the Victorian Government targeted 1,123,503 protected Australian wildlife, with the actual kill estimated to be slightly lower at 1,050,000 as we do not know the outcome of ATCW permits (non-commercial), the outcome from which is not recorded or tracked. The actual kill in 2024 was estimated to be 1,158,000, so a small decrease in the kill in 2025, when compared to 2024, of 108,000 protected Australian animals.
In all Australia, it is likely that, when all the data for 2025 is finalised, a number close to 10 million protected native wildlife will have been targeted by state government behest schemes to kill protected Australian wildlife. In 2024 that number was approximately 9.1 million. A wide range of Australian species are involved in the mass killing. Based on what has happened in previous years, they kill about 50 per cent of what they target, the largest shortfall is always in commercial because of the inflated quotas, the most unreliable data from government is the recreational data.
Commercial exploitationof Kangaroos in Victoria: January to March 2026
21,780 Kangaroos were killed for commercial gain in Victoria in Q1 2026, 8,494 of which were female (39 per cent) resulting in the cruels beating deaths of 6,481 joeys not included in the commercial data. 2,711 of all Kangaroos killed for commercial gain were reported as being Western Grey Kangaroos, 12.5 per cent of the commercial kill.
The quota for the commercial exploitation of Kangaroos in Victoria (KHP) for 2026 is 95,450 Kangaroos, comprising 84,600 Eastern Grey Kangaroos and 10,850 Western Grey Kangaroos. Quotas are released on a quarterly basis, with provision for any unallocated tags to be carried over to subsequent quarters.
During the first quarter of 2026 (January to March), a total of 33,966 Kangaroo tags were allocated across the state, 97 per cent of the 34,861 tags that were made available for the period. From the tags that had been allocated in quarter 1, 21,780 tags (64 per cent) have been used and resulted in that number of dead Kangaroos.
As of 2026, there are 163 authorised commercial Kangaroo shooters operating under three-year authorisations (2024–2026). All shooters are required to submit summaries at the completion of each operation, using a mobile application managed by the Department of Government Services. As the summary figures are self-reported, the Victorian Government states that there may be discrepancies between the reported figures and the actual figures due to memory bias.
Kangaroos killed for commercial gain by shooting zone Q1 Victoria 2026
- Gippsland – 1,718 Eastern Grey Kangaroos with 38 shooters allocated to zone with an average value per shooters of $1,266;
- Hume – 9,632 Eastern Grey Kangaroos with 59 shooters allocated to the zone with an average value per shooter of $4,571;
- Loddon-Mallee – 4,079 Eastern Grey Kangaroos with 34 shooters allocated to zone with an average value per shooter of $3,359;
- Grampians – 2,964 Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroos with 47 shooters allocated to the zone across both species (if duplication unknown) with an average value per shooter of $1,766; and
- Barwon Southwest – 3,387 Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroos with 36 shooters allocated to the zone across both species (if duplication unknown) with an average value per shooter of $2,634.
Females and joeys killed for commercial gain Q1 Victoria 2026
- Females killed for commercial gain – 8,494, that is 39 per cent of total kill;
- Joeys killed but not included in statistics – 6,481; and
- The highest share of females killed for commercial gain in any shooting zone was in Barwon Southwest where 46 per cent of the Eastern Grey Kangaroos killed were female, the Grampians shooting zone followed, again Eastern Greys, at 44 per cent. This is a very long way from sustainable as claimed by the Victorian Government.
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Related
2026: Commercial exploitation of Kangaroos in Victoria
An increase in the population estimate for Grey Kangaroos in Victoria, leading to a 2026 quota of 207,800, a decrease of the commercial quota when compared to 2025 of 22,150 (the commercial component now being 95,450).
Review of Kangaroo data for commercially exploited species 1980-2025 (all government sources)
This analysis is a rebuild of annual Kangaroo population estimates, commercial quotas and actual take from 1980, including the population estimate data removed from the public gaze.