Pros and cons of fences for roos questioned at rangelands conference

Mr King, who attended the national rangelands conference in Longreach in October to engage with land managers, said his members believed the breeding systems of kangaroos had been changed by the erection of thousands of kilometres of fencing.

He said it was something that affected not just kangaroos but all native wildlife.

"We're not going to criticise that at this point in time, we would just like to see a proper scientific survey done to study what those outcomes are," he said. "I don't think anyone's done that at this point in time."

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Mr King was advocating for a holistic rangeland management plan that included wild animals in overall property management plans, saying that wild dog control was a longstanding issue that needed to be looked at in this context.

"Dingoes have a significant role to play in the control of kangaroos, they have had for millenia," he said.

"It was always part of the natural chain (but) we've eliminated that by eliminating the dingoes in areas. so kangaroos have no real predators anymore around for these bigger numbers to occur, which then causes boom and bust.

"We've got to be nimble enough and have the opportunities and markets to go to and utilise that product, to get a really much better outcome for the kangaroo overall.

"If we can start to include the landholders in this and there's a positive return for them by being part of the whole value chain of the kangaroo industry, I think we can see that turn around."

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