Published August 07, 2010 01:24

Edwards, G. P., Croft, D. B. and Dawson, T. J. (1996). Competition between red kangaroos (Macropus rufus) and sheep (Ovis aries) in the arid rangelands of Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 21, 165-172.

Competition between red kangaroos and sheep in the more arid areas of Australia was examined by means of a large-scale manipulative experiment incorporating two replicates of each of three treatments: sheep-only, kangaroo-only and a sheepAangaroo mixture. The study was conducted over two years during which time pasture conditions varied markedly. Competition was intermittent, occurring only during a period of climatically related food depletion (semi-drought). At this time there was a large increase in kangaroo densities due to an influx of kangaroos from neighbouring areas. Competition reduced live-weight in sheep but had no significant impact on wool production. This effect was linked to diet selection. Competition caused red kangaroos to favour paddocks destocked of sheep but bad no detectable effect on the condition of kangaroos.

Back to all news

Recent Posts

• Public Lecture- Compassionate Conservation: Is recreational hunting defensible?
• Kangaroo Court: new report on enforcement
• THINKKing Big
• RSPCA Australia and WSPA support THINKK report
• Food Fight - Aboriginal elders take on the kangaroo industry
• 'Shooting our wildlife' journal article now available
• NEW Report released on welfare implications of the kangaroo industry
• Forthcoming peer reviewed publication 'Shooting our wildlife'
• Dr Daniel Ramp awarded Australian Academy of Science grant
• THINKK awarded funding from Youngman Trust
• Shooting our wildlife: An analysis of the law and policy governing the killing of kangaroos
• Advocating kangaroo meat: towards ecological benefit or plunder?
• Competition
• Water