Kangaroo Mob

Although kangaroos are among the most beloved and prominent symbols of Australia, in recent years these animals have come into conflict with residents. In the capital city of Canberra, for example, a drought has driven kangaroos down from the hills surrounding the city, where at night they forage on greens found in parks and on well-manicured lawns. This PBS-aired Nature episode from director Steve Westh looks at current efforts to study and control "urban kangaroos," creatures that can be dangerous (some males are over six feet tall), sometimes colliding with cars and even crashing through home windows. Basically shy creatures who prefer to avoid humans, some Australians worry that the animals are becoming too comfortable around man. While detailing the work of government ecologists to track, tranquilize, and tag members of the "kangaroo mob," the documentary also describes the roles and life cycles of dominant males, females, and their offspring—known as "joeys." With the disappearance of most of the kangaroo's natural predators and the concomitant rise of Australia's towns and cities, the animals now face threats from automobiles and dogs. Indeed, 70 percent of all joeys die before reaching adulthood, and to further control the population, the government permits culling of the herds, in much the same way that controlled hunts of deer are conducted in the U.S. Inevitably, these hunts have sparked protests and an emotional public backlash. The kangaroos are holding their own for now, but this program poses the interesting question of whether humans can learn to co-exist with kangaroos. A fascinating, incisive nature program, this is recommended. Aud: J, H, C, P. (S. Rees)