it's kangaroo season!

[Caine Walker]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

A controversial kangaroo cull began at an Australian military site in the national capital Canberra Monday, an animal welfare group said.

The RSPCA said its inspectors had confirmed the killings were being carried out in accordance with appropriate guidelines.

"Our inspectors were on site this morning to observe the final set-up and then they remained on site to observe some of the initial culling of kangaroos," the RSPCA's Michael Linke told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The ABC reported that at least 20 kangaroos were killed, among about 400 due to be shot in a bid to protect the site from overgrazing and to protect other species.

Animal rights activists, who plan to ask former Beatle Paul McCartney to help save the iconic animals, said they would keep up the protests despite the start of the operation.

Bernard Brennan, an activist with the Canberra Kangaroos Coalition protesting at the site, said about 70 animals, including young joeys, had been herded into holding pens, which were visible from the perimeter.

Once in the pens, the animals were shot with tranquillising darts, he said. "It's pretty horrific because you can see them fighting to stay conscious," Brennan AFP.

He said while he could not see the animals being shot dead, none had emerged from the pens.

The defence department refused to comment on the killings of the marsupials.

The department called off a cull earlier this year after a public outcry, but said at the weekend it now had no option but to call in contractors to kill the animals at the Belconnen Naval Transmitting Site.

The government had withdrawn support for a plan to relocate the kangaroos because it would cost 3.5 million dollars (3.29 million US) and was not considered an effective use of taxpayers' money, the department said.

But activists say the kangaroos could be moved for a fraction of that price.

National Kangaroo Protection Coalition spokesman Pat O'Brien said efforts were being made to contact multi-millionaire McCartney and others to seek a contribution to the cost.

McCartney is a member of the British animal rights group Viva, which has condemned the plan by the defence department to cull the eastern grey kangaroos.

"Defence says cost is an issue, but experts have told us that it could cost as little as 750,000 dollars," O'Brien said. "We have had a lot of offers of donations."

The cull is considered necessary because an overpopulation of kangaroos is damaging the environment at the Belconnen Naval Transmission Site near Canberra.

The animals were to be shot with tranquillising darts and then given a lethal drug.

Activists said they planned to continue their protest at the site.

National Kangaroo Protection Coalition

[fluxequalsrad]

im gonna lynch me one.

[wHATcOLOR]

it's kangaroo season! i'm caine walker! yes!

[twice]

mmm. kangadrool