Home / Environment / 27 Million Marsupials Destroyed by Australian Bounty Program
27 Million Marsupials Destroyed by Australian Bounty Program
5 Oct
Summary
- Government bounties encouraged killing of native Australian marsupials.
- Up to 27 million animals were destroyed between the late 1800s and 1930.
- The program aimed to reduce marsupial competition with livestock for food.
A historical government bounty program in Queensland, Australia, resulted in the destruction of an estimated 27 million native marsupials between the late 19th century and 1930. Introduced via the Marsupial Destruction Act in 1877, the initiative offered financial rewards to reduce competition between marsupials and livestock for available feed.
The program, which spanned over five decades, targeted a wide range of native animals including various kangaroo and wallaby species, as well as smaller marsupials like bandicoots and potoroos. The total payout for bounties reached approximately £1.187 million, underscoring the scale of the operation.
This extensive scheme was part of a broader global study identifying hundreds of bounty programs used for species control. The research revealed that native species were predominantly targeted in these programs worldwide, often linked to practical concerns such as protecting agriculture and livestock. The study also noted that such programs could have unintended consequences, impacting ecosystems unpredictably.
The Queensland program concluded in 1930, marking an end to a significant period of government-sanctioned wildlife culling. The study emphasizes the importance of carefully designing and assessing the outcomes of such incentive-based wildlife management strategies.
