On a memorable family holiday to Australia a few years ago now I had the opportunity to see these animals in the wild ( in fact on a verge of a regional motorway), get up close and ugly to them in Steve Irwin's Zoo and then on the way back to our accommodation to stop off at a restaurant and eat a sumptuous kangaroo steak (with chips).
In those three experiences I encapsulated the love-hate relationship of the Australian peoples for this iconic marsupial and national symbol.
It is an interesting dilemna.
On the one hand the are relentlessly hunted and killed for sport or in an occasional cull to control what is thought to be a total number on the continent of up to 40 million, therefore outnumbering the human population. Then, after recent wildfires there was an outpouring of sympathy and endearment towards the kangaroo, many of whom perished or were badly injured.
Seemingly in conflict with these opposing attitudes is the value of the kangaroo meat industry to the national economy supporting around 4000 jobs and earning foreign currency with exports to 50 countries around the globe.
So the creature is simultaneously regarded as vermin, loveable and edible which cannot apply to many, if at all any other members of the animal kingdom.
They are ancient custodians of Australia with fossilised remains having been discovered albeit of a now extinct species towering at 3 metres tall. The largest red kangaroo today only reaches 2 metres under the genetic and environmental constraints that are now influencing development and growth.
I always thought that there was only one species of the animal but in fact there are over 60 although this does include in the family the wallaby, wallaroos, pademelons, tree kangaroos, potoroos, bettongs and rat kangaroo.
Although well known to the indigenous aboriginal peoples and featuring in native art they must have seemed very strange and fascinating to the first European Settlers. There is an urban myth that when the hopping creatures were first seen by the immigrants and the locals were asked what they were called there was a bit if a language barrier and they replied "kangaroo" meaning I don;t understand your question and the name stuck.
In actuality kangaroo is an aboriginal derivation for the grey member of the species"gangurru". The Yorkshireman and great explorer of the Southern Hemisphere, Captain James Cook first brought the word into common record in 1770 upon documenting his discovery of Australia.
So what do we know about kangaroos?
The stereotypical portrayal is comical.
How many times have you seen a cartoon or representation of a kangaroo wearing silky shorts and sporting boxing gloves?
The speed attained by the hopping action has been recorded at up to 40mph and this attribute is also a popular depiction.
When threatened the kangaroos pound the ground with their large flat feet, another endearing and well used image.Take Kanga and Roo in A.A Milne's Winnie the Pooh.
At the Rio Olympics the Brazilian Hosts tried to placate the complaints of the Aussie Athletes over the unfinished state of their Village accommodation by providing extra kangaroo figurines on the building forecourt. It did not go down well.
The appearance of the animal accompanied by the emu on the national coat of arms was because of their joint inability to walk backwards therefore taken to epitomise the steadfast characteristics of a proud independent country.
So in all, a potentially aggressive animal, short tempered, sporty and unpredictable.
This is not strictly true. Being herbivores they are rather placid grazers and tend to take to the shade in the harsh climate, preferring to eat in the late afternoon or early morning.
They are very social animals living in groups of up to 100 or more. Social also refers to their relative ease in the company of humans. They have excellent eyesight but only respond to moving objects. This means that it is possible to sneak up very close without detection. If you, when seen, simply stand still the animal will just resume what they were doing.
A dominant male has to compete for control of the community and if usurped by a younger male then it is a case of being sent into solitary exile.
Kangaroos do not have any natural predators apart from man although have been known to defend themselves if cornered or provoked.
A lack of road sense particularly at night can impose a significant hazard to both the motorist and a fast moving kangaroo and traffic accidents with mutual fatalities are common.
Their habitat is quite varied although this is to be expected in such a sizeable continent where the terrain ranges from savannah grasslands to deserts, from temperate to tropical forests.
The vast open areas and sparse human presence has seen an increase in kangaroo numbers, again bucking the trend for many species across the globe.
The dietary benefits of kangaroo meat were only recently realised with its legalisation for sale in 1993. The high protein and low fat meat is recognised for its healthy qualities although there has been some very recent research identifying a harmful constituent contributing to heart disease. This may just be a spoiler from the more traditional meat industries.
The digestive system, in direct contrast to cattle, produces almost no methane as a bi-product which is a huge positive to combat global warming.
I felt that my experiences with kangaroos were an integral part of the enjoyment of my visit to Australia and their contribution to the identity of that nation cannot be understated. Boiinng
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