Kangaroo Kill
My letter is in response to the Associated Press article (Feb. 23), “Kangaroo Hunting Divides Australians.”
It correctly states that conservationists are concerned for the welfare of the kangaroos. The Australian government recently authorized a 2.6-million kangaroo kill for 1986. However, the article failed to mention that a large part of the reason for the kill is to feed the American consumer appetite.
Principally, we Americans are a large determining factor on the size of the annual kill quota, as we often unknowingly purchase kangaroo products. Many shoe companies use kangaroo leather in their products. The kangaroo industry, in reality, discredits its falsely stated purpose of being a “management tool” by catering to the demands of these companies.
Americans who buy expensive athletic and luxury shoes should check the label first because they very well may be contributing to the largest slaughter of wildlife in the world.
DONALD WHITTIER
Washington
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