The Low Physical Impact of Kangaroo Meat
It is often said that kangaroos have less physical impact on the environment compared to sheep, goats and cattle as a result of their physical attributes. Reviews have been undertaken on the impact and concluded that kangaroos “soft feet” do less damage to land and vegetation compared to sheep and cattle at kilogram for kilogram.
It is noted that the impact of hard-hoofed livestock is particularly profound in riparian areas and there have been major land and vegetation conservation programs to fence livestock out of creeks and rivers. Many golf courses will tolerate up to 100 kangaroos whereas we doubt they would tolerate any sheep and certainly no cattle because of the damage that would be done to playing surfaces.
For more information see:
Grigg, G. 2002. Conservation benefit from harvesting kangaroos: Status report at the start of a new millennium. Pp. 53-76 in A Zoological Revolution: Using Native Fauna to Assist in its Own Survival, edited by D. Lunney and C. Dickman. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales Australian Museum, Mosman, NSW.