THE total cull of kangaroos in North East Victoria is recommended to increase from 22,100 last year to a quota of 35,600 in 2023 due to growing populations of the marsupial.
The abundance of grey kangaroos within the non–forested parts of Victoria has increased by about 24 per cent compared with that reported from a 2020 aerial survey, rising from 1,378,605 to 2,363,850 Eastern Grey and Western Grey kangaroos.
A population estimate for the North East in 2020 was 239,850 compared to 355,950 in 2022.
In 2020 some 28,800 were recommended for harvesting in the region, and in 2021 some 23,545 were culled.
The state harvest in 2022 was recommended at 185,850 with the cull not to exceed 10pc of the estimated grey kangaroo population.
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With an estimation of grey kangaroos across the state reaching a population of about 2,363850 this year, 10 per cent of these or 236,350 are recommended to be culled including 215,200 Eastern Greys and 21,150 Western Greys.
The Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research carries out an estimation every year to help determine the approaching year's harvesting program.
The Victorian Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan (KHMP) 2021–2023 sets the requirements for the operation of Victoria's Kangaroo Harvesting Program (KHP), which supports the ecologically sustainable commercial harvesting of wild grey kangaroos and make sure populations are not overexploited.
Quotas are based on a policy of allowing a maximum harvest fraction of 10 per cent of the estimated kangaroo population in each calendar year.
The KHMP permits the commercial harvest of grey kangaroos on private land in designated harvest zones.
There are seven harvest zones including North East, Mallee, Upper Wimmera, Lower Wimmera, Central, Otway, and Gippsland.
In 2023 the North East has the third highest cull quota (35,600), behind Lower Wimmera (55,600) and Central (82,050).
Total cull quotas for other areas include Mallee 5600, Upper Wimmera 20,950, Otway 18,900, and Gippsland 17,650.
