The Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus), Wallaroo (Osphranter robustus) and Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) are still being killed in very large numbers for commercial gain and what is described as damage mitigation. This occurs despite an evident exaggeration of Kangaroo population estimates. This analysis takes in all five commercial shooting zones in Queensland.

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The actual outcome from the DMPs (permits) issued is unknown as it is not tracked, however, demand for permits is an indicator of population increase or decline in a given zone. Commercial kills are tagged so the actual commercial take number is more reliable (however number of joeys killed is unknown but we can do a rough estimate).

The Queensland Government says this without describing how their claims can be justified and without evidence:

“Damage mitigation permits (DMPs) are issued by the department where macropods may cause damage or loss of property or present a threat to human health or wellbeing. The issuing of these permits is limited to a maximum of 2 per cent of the estimated population for each species. The number of macropods harvested under DMP’s, on average, remained below 25 per cent of the allowable DMP take. For comparative purposes, a summary of the macropods taken under DMPs for each species for 2020–2024 is outlined in the data”. Queensland Macropod Management Program, Annual Report 2024

Our understanding is that the data provided in the Queensland Macropod Management Program, Annual Report 2024 in relation to the number of animals killed under DMP permits is wrong and should refer to the permits and the number of animals on those permits that were issued against the quota and not the actual number of animals killed, which the Queensland Government do not track.

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• Note: Annual Queensland Government population estimate based on previous year’s survey.
• Note: Special quotas are not included in the commercial data.
• Note: Change in methodology: Methodology re zones changed again in 2022. Queensland Government note regarding DMP permits says harvest zones came into effect 1 January 2022 (for DMP permits).
  Note: DMPs issued in the 12 year period and the actual number of Red Kangaroos covered by these permits, when measured against quota, was 37 per cent, while in 2024 for DMPs issued and the number of Red Kangaroos they covered was just 17 per cent.
• Note: Combining both the DMP and commercial quotas for the Queensland Government targeted 20.2 per cent of its estimate of the Red Kangaroo’s population (73,486,500) in the state of 14,878,818 in the 12 year period from 2014. The Nature Knowledge Channel’s population estimate for that 12 year period is far lower at 20,996,000 with a likelihood that the Queensland Government actually targeted 71 per cent of the Red Kangaroo’s population in the state. Based on the Nature Knowledge Channel population estimate for the period, the Queensland Government, killed 17 per cent of the state’s Red Kangaroo population in the 12 year period, including joeys, that rises to 23.5 per cent, near triple the best outcome reproduction rate.  This partly describes why (based on the Queensland Government data), given we can only estimate the actual take for DMPs as the data relates to permits issued, less than 25 per cent of the total quota was achieved in the period, as well as explaining why demand for DMPs is lower on average in the recent period.
• Note: Number of Red Kangaroo joeys killed in the 12 year period in Queensland (as a result of DMP and commercial kill) is estimated at 1,277,350.

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• Note: Annual Queensland Government population estimate based on previous year’s survey.
• Note: Special quotas are not included in the commercial data.
• Note: Change in methodology re zones changed again in 2022. Queensland Government note regarding DMP permits says harvest zones came into effect 1 January 2022 (for DMP permits).
  Note: DMPs issued in the 12 year period and the actual number of Easter Grey Kangaroos covered by these permits, when measured against quota, was 49 percent, while in 2024 for DMPs issued and the number of Easter Grey Kangaroos they covered was just 15.5 per cent.
• Note: Combining both the DMP and commercial quotas for the Queensland Government targeted 14.4 per cent of its estimate of the Eastern Grey Kangaroo’s population (148,304,400) in the state of 21,318,377 in the 12 year period from 2014. The Nature Knowledge Channel’s population estimate for that12 year period is far lower at 42,370,000 with a likelihood that the Queensland Government actually targeted 50 per cent of the Easter Grey Kangaroo’s population in the state. Based on the Nature Knowledge Channel population estimate for the period, the Queensland Government, killed 14.3 per cent of the state’s Easter Grey Kangaroo population in the 12 year period, including joeys, that rises to 19 per cent, more than double the best outcome reproduction rate.  This partly describes why (based on the Queensland Government data), given we can only estimate the actual take for DMPs as the data relates to permits issued, less than 28 per cent of the total quota was achieved in the period, as well as explaining why demand for DMPs is lower on average in the recent period.
• Note: Number of Eastern Grey Kangaroo joeys killed in the 12 year period in Queensland (as a result of DMP and commercial kill) is estimated at 2,000,000.

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• Note: Annual Queensland Government population estimate based on previous year’s survey.
• Note: Special quotas are not included in the commercial data.
• Note: Change in methodology re zones changed again in 2022. Queensland Government note regarding DMP permits says harvest zones came into effect 1 January 2022 (for DMP permits).
• Note: DMPs issued in the 12 year period and the actual number of Wallaroos covered by these permits, when measured against quota, was 43 per cent, while in 2024, off an historically small quota for DMPs issued, and the number of Wallaroos they covered, was just 39 per cent.
• Note: Combining both the DMP and commercial quotas for the Queensland Government targeted 14.6 per cent of its estimate of the Wallaroo’s population (36,763,500) in the state of 5,374,121 in the 12 year period from 2014. The Nature Knowledge Channel’s population estimate for that 12 year period is far lower at 11,488,000 with a likelihood that the Queensland Government actually targeted 47 per cent of the Wallaroo’s population in the state. Based on the Nature Knowledge Channel population estimate for the period, the Queensland Government, killed 11.3 per cent of the state’s Wallaroo population in the 12 year period, including joeys, that rises to 15 per cent, almost double the best outcome reproduction rate.  This partly describes why (based on the Queensland Government data), given we can only estimate the actual take for DMPs as the data relates to permits issued, just 24 per cent of the total quota was achieved in the period, as well as explaining why demand for DMPs is lower on average in the recent period.
• Note: Number of Wallaroo joeys killed in the 12 year period in Queensland (as a result of DMP and commercial kill) is estimated at 440,000.

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