Six ACT nature reserves will be closed in the evenings from 16 May for the conservation cull of Eastern Grey Kangaroos.
6 of the 39 Canberra Nature Park nature reserves and adjacent territory land will be closed in the evenings from Sunday to Thursday to allow for the safe delivery of the conservation cull. The nature reserves will remain open during the day and will be open on weekends from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon.
Kangaroo management in the ACT includes fencing, fertility control and culling to reduce grazing impacts on the environment.
"We aim to remove 1568 Eastern Grey Kangaroos from 6 priority reserves. As always, this cull is in Canberra Nature Park, so there will be no culling in Namadgi National Park," Director of ACT Parks and Conservation Service Daniel Iglesias said.
"We are confident this number will manage grazing pressure and achieve priority conservation outcomes while maintaining public, staff and contractor safety.
"Kangaroos are an integral part of the ecosystems around Canberra and we hope the community will understand that the conservation cull is vital for the wellbeing of the environment and the many plants and animals that call our reserves home. Research demonstrates that overgrazing by kangaroos, particularly in critical conservation areas, can threaten the survival of local grassland sites and species as well as cause erosion and promote weed infestations.
"Although we have seen above average rainfall over the last year, the ecosystem is still fragile. Where kangaroos remain above sustainable numbers we must continue to manage their populations to reduce grazing pressure and help our nature reserves maintain resilience against the effects of climate change now and into the future.
"However, because of the rainfall, a number of priority sites where sustainable kangaroo numbers have been maintained over the past few years now require little or no further management in 2021.
"Nobody likes shooting kangaroos, however we accept it's the most humane method of kangaroo population management currently available to the ACT Government in its role as a responsible land manager.
"The cull is undertaken is strict accordance with the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Non-Commercial Purposes. The ACT also employs additional measures so that best-practice animal welfare standards are met and exceeded.
"To help improve public safety and detect illegal activity, warning signs will be placed at all entry points to the reserves, surveillance cameras will be used, and reserves will be patrolled by Parks and Conservation Service staff during operations.
"If you see anyone vandalising or removing warning signs or doing other illegal activities that may put the public in danger, please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Access Canberra on 13 22 81," Mr Iglesias said.
The reserves to be closed include:
| Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve |
| Mount Majura Nature Reserve |
| East Jerrabomberra Grasslands |
| Farrer Ridge Nature Reserve |
| Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve |
| Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary |
Sites will re-open from the 1st of August or earlier if the program is completed sooner.
You can find more information and detailed closure times are available on the ACT Parks and Conservation website.
