Nine nature reserves in Canberra Nature Park and adjacent Territory land will be closed overnight from Sunday to Thursday for the annual conservation cull of Eastern Grey Kangaroos. The nature reserves will remain open during the day, and from today to Sunday afternoon.

ACT Parks and Conservation Service aim to remove 1,650 kangaroos from the nine reserves “to maintain appropriate grazing pressure in grassy ecosystems,” executive branch manager Stephen Alegria said.

For the first time, a conservation cull will be undertaken at Red Hill Nature Reserve to manage unsustainable numbers, Mr Alegria said.

In addition, access to Mount Ainslie Nature Reserve will be restricted during the closure periods.

“The ACT Government is committed to evidence-based kangaroo management, including fencing, fertility control, and culling,” Mr Alegria said.

Operations are undertaken in conjunction with other forms of grazing management, like rabbit control, burning and strategic livestock grazing, to achieve conservation outcomes in the face of fluctuating climatic conditions.

“Kangaroos are important to the ecosystems around Canberra,” he said. “However, managing kangaroo numbers is vital for the wellbeing of the environment and the many plants and animals that call our reserves home.”

The ACT Government has culled kangaroos for more than a decade, Mr Alegria said, to improve the resilience of our grassy landscapes to the unpredictable Australian climate.

He said kangaroo management, including culling and fertility control, is based on ecological assessments at each location, and only takes place if densities are found to be above the level deemed appropriate for biodiversity conservation.

The conservation cull is undertaken in strict accordance with the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Non-Commercial Purposes.

The ACT also employs additional measures so that best-practice animal welfare standards are met and exceeded.

Warning signs will be placed at all entry points to the reserves; surveillance cameras will be used; and Parks and Conservation Service staff will patrol reserves during operations to maximise safety to the public.

If you see anyone vandalising or removing warning signs, or doing other illegal activities that may put the public in danger, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Access Canberra on 13 22 81.

The reserves to be closed include:

Sites will re-open from 31 July. They may open earlier if the program is completed sooner.

Detailed closure times are available on the Parks ACT website. 

For more information on kangaroo management in the ACT, please visit the Environment website.