Every year, approximately 1.3 million to 1.5 million wild adult kangaroos are commercially killed in Australia, accompanied by an estimated half-million dependent joeys, many of whom suffer death or injury. Joeys often face brutal deaths by bludgeoning or decapitation, while those orphaned after their mothers are shot often succumb to starvation, exposure, and predation.
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Meat from these commercially killed kangaroos is exported internationally, including to the United States, where it is used in high-end restaurant dishes and marketed as premium pet food. A recent report titled Australia’s Global Bushmeat Trade has revealed significant issues within the industry’s supply chain.
Government records indicate that in 2025, a kangaroo meat processor had bacterial contamination levels exceeding the European Union's acceptable thresholds by more than ten times, with the non-compliant meat still released for export. The report highlights additional safety risks associated with kangaroo meat, including Salmonella, E. coli, parasites, and lead ammunition fragments. Furthermore, it points to an overlooked connection between kangaroo meat suppliers and Australia’s greyhound racing industry, raising ethical concerns about sourcing.
The kangaroo meat export industry has sharply declined, with exports dropping approximately 86% since the early 2000s. In 2025, the trade generated only $10.9 million AUD. Additionally, major athletic footwear manufacturers have ceased using kangaroo leather, contributing to a staggering 98% collapse in skin prices. This decline coincides with increasing concerns over animal welfare and food safety, leading many companies to reconsider sourcing kangaroo products in favor of available alternatives.
The Center for a Humane Economy is advocating for a complete boycott of kangaroo meat. It urges pet food manufacturers and retailers to cease using kangaroo meat in their products, asks restaurants and foodservice companies to remove kangaroo dishes from their menus, and calls on distributors and importers to end their engagement with kangaroo meat sourcing and distribution. Building on their successful Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign, which influenced major brands like Nike and Adidas to reject kangaroo leather, they aim to use similar strategies to reform the kangaroo meat trade.