Aussies May Unusually Adopt Kangaroo Meat Diet to Fight Climate Change

Australians and the rest of us agree that climate change is real, but the guys Down South can do more than listening to harangues about how to combat global warming - a dish of Kangaroo meat can help reduce their carbon footprint, if an Aussie government adviser on climate change has his way.

Having compared the harmful methane gas produced by sheep, cows and other domesticated animals through belching and flatulence, Professor Ross Garnaut contends kangaroo meat is a safer alternative for the environment.

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Kangaroos emit far less methane than sheep and beef cattle and require considerably less water than sheep.

Animal husbandry is negatively affecting the environment and breeders must now be made accountable to check the green gas emissions on their farms. Commercial farms use a lot of water and this may not augur well for the environment either.

To address this and unusual as it may seem, the professor argues, Australians must lead the transition toward production of lower-emitting forms of meat, and Kangaroo meat fits the bill only too well, according to this BBC article.

Kangaroo farming is a more environmentally-friendly meat industry than sheep or cattle farming since kangaroos require less feed than placental stock, are well-adapted to drought, and do not destroy the root systems of native grasses.

But can a switch to kangaroos provide the answer that may cut emissions? Some wildlife activists and animal welfare groups in Australia agree beef and sheep are taking their toll on the environment but remain rather unsure about the carbon footprint bit…

However, kangaroo harvest - if you care to know, done by a single bullet to the brain - has been supported by a wide range of professional ecologists in Australia.

Image credits: Top: Dickuhne and above: DigitalART2 at Flickr under a Creative Commons license.

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