Kangaroo for Dinner?
from Class Afloat News, December 2, 1996

Is it unpatriotic for Australians to eat kangaroo? The popular trend toward serving up this meat for dinner has animal rights groups up in arms. Outraged that Aussies find their national symbol tasty, they argue that the practice is putting some species in danger of extinction. But in a country where there are 18 million people and 30 million kangaroos, this is not a harmful culinary trend.

In 1993 the sale of kangaroo meat was made legal in two of Australia's six states. Today it is eaten across the country. In Sydney alone there are over 900 restaurants that serve it. Described as having a gamy taste that is similar to venison, the lean meat is a healthy alternative to beef. The Aborigines have been eating it for tens of thousands of years.

Many Australians view kangaroos as pests. They compete with livestock for watering holes. Each year they cause thousands of travel accidents. Hunting is a way to keep their booming population in check. Nevertheless, the small percentage that oppose the sale of kangaroo meat has made its voice known.

In addition to street protests, an animal rights group called Safe Australia uses the "booking technique"--making a reservation for a large group at a restaurant and then not showing up. Irate, restaurant owners now require a phone number and sometimes a credit card when booking for big group. Safe Australia also made a commercial for television that has been kept off the air by the meat industry. In it you see diners in a posh restaurant. They're served some kangaroo meat. It's moving with worms. The message: kangaroo meat is more prone to parasites than livestock, an unfounded claim.

For a country so overrun with a good source of protein, the animal rights groups don't have a strong case. Eating kangaroo is a sustainable use of resources. Still, the concept must have taken some getting used to. Responds one woman questioned by a New York Times correspondent, "You Americans don't cook your bald eagle, do you?" Yeah, but the kangaroo isn't endangered.

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