Kangaroo as an Iconic Organism to Australia - Essay Example

? Biology, Essay   Topic: Kangaroo, an Iconic Organism to Australia 3rd November, Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus), [picture courtesy of http://www.arkive.org/red-kangaroo/macropus-rufus/ November 5, 2012] Annotated Bibliography Department for Environment and Heritage (2008). The Kangaroo Conservation and Management Plan for South Australia 2008-2012. Available http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/sources/management-plans/pubs/sa-kangaroo-08.pdf Accessed November 3, 2012 This article outlines information about conservation and management of kangaroos. It describes the importance of kangaroos in the ecosystem of Australia. It has information on macropod species and the goals achieved by conserving and managing the kangaroos. The importance of kangaroo in the industries is also well covered in this article and the impacts of harvesting of kangaroos in the economy of Australia. Higginbottom, K., Northrope, C.L., Croft, D.B., Hill, B. and Fredline, L. (2004). The role of kangaroos in Australian tourism. Australian Mammalogy, 26:23-32. This article contains very important information on the role of kangaroo in the tourism imagery, description and evaluation of kangaroo tourism. Visitor demand and responses to kangaroo tourism is also covered showing how important these animals have lead to attraction of tourists to Australia. The article has information on description and evaluation of kangaroo tourism. The opportunity for future development of tourism based on free-ranging macropods is also covered. Kelly J. (2008) Kangaroo industry background. Available at http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au/morinfo/BACKGR1.HTM Accessed November 3, 2012 This article has information on kangaroo population, environmental impacts of utilizing kangaroos for the development of Australian economy. Environmental impacts for not utilizing kangaroos are also covered in details together with animal welfare. This information is important for explaining the impact of the kangaroo on Australia as a country. National Health and Medical Research Council (1990). A guide to the use of Australian native mammals in medical research, Department of community services and health, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra. ISBN 0 644 124709 Information about the importance of kangaroo in the biomedical research is presented here. Use of kangaroos in biomedical research is important in showing the characteristics of native mammals. Husbandry, diet and nutrition of marsupials are well covered. This information is important on explaining the role of kangaroo on the economy of Australia. NSW Young Lawyers (2000) a submission on the draft kangaroo management programmes. This article contains information on cultural importance of kangaroo in the culture of Australia. It gives detailed information on the various symbols of Australian identity for example the coat of arms .All the importance of kangaroo in the culture of Australia is well covered showing how kangaroo is important in sporting activities. Oslen, P. and Braysher, M. (2000). [for the] Kangaroo Management Advisory Committee. The article is a recommendation to the Kangaroo Management Advisory Committee on measures for controlling the Kangaroo population. The article gives the highlights of current status on aspects of kangaroo such as their ecological, economic impact and how culling has affected them. Direct and indirect population monitoring methods, both direct and indirect, are also highlighted and emphasis on kangaroo harvesting concerns. Therefore, this document avails important information on the management of this iconic animal population. Pople, A. (2004) Population monitoring for kangaroo management. Australian Mammalogy 26: 37-44. This paper discusses the importance of harvesting kangaroos and how this helps to manage and conserve the habitats they occupy. Objectives of kangaroo management in Australia and how it helps in boosting the country’s economy is broadly and widely discussed. Ritchie, E.G. and Bolitho, E.E. (2008). Australia’s Savanna Herbivores Bioclimatic Distributions and an assessment of the potential impact of regional climate change. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 81:6. The paper highlights impacts of climatic change in future and how it will affect the survival of different Australia’s savanna herbivores. In undertaking this research, the authors explore the risks of survival to marsupials, for instance the kangaroo, which are known to occupy a large geographical range. This paper is vital for the current essay on the iconic organism [kangaroo] of Australia since it attempts to define and compare impact of climate change and distributions of macropods including kangaroo. This paper informs this study of the future survival of this iconic animal in the ever increasing debate on climate change due to global warming. Seebeck J.H and Rose R.W (n.d) Fauna of Australia, 30. POTOROIDAE. Available at http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/fauna-of-australia/pubs/volume1b/30-ind.pdf Accessed November 3, 2012 It explains more on the taxonomy and classification of kangaroo into the various species. The history of discovery, description and naming of kangaroo is fully covered. There is also coverage of morphology and physiology of the two subfamilies of kangaroos and this is important in differentiating them. This article, thus, is of great importance in providing information about taxonomy. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (1997). Australian Kangaroos. Fact sheet, 23. Available at www.dfat.gov.au, Accessed November 3, 2012 This article contains information about life and habitat of kangaroos and the management and use of these animals in the various industries. Kangaroo harvesting and environment is well covered. The products from kangaroos are well explained (meat, fur and skins) and how they are utilized in the industry for the economic growth of Australia. This article highlights important information on the kangaroo industry. Introduction Kangaroos are marsupials and only found in continental Australia and some parts of Papua New Guinea. Though over 60 species of the marsupial have been identified, the most common are four species with an estimated 50 million population (The Australian Department of foreign affairs and trade, 1997). These marsupials belong to the superfamily Macropodoidea meaning “great -footed” that includes two families, Macropodoidea and Potoroidea. The Potoroo, Bettong and rat kangaroo are in the Potoroidea family whereas Macropodoidea family includes wallabies, wallaroos, pademelons and tree kangaroos. Potoroids differ from Macropoids in a number of cranial characters. Modern Potoroids are smaller and have small rounded ears in contrast to the large, pointed ears of most Macropoids (Seedbeck and Rose, n.d.). Potoroidea is further divided into various species namely: subfamily Palaeopotoroinae species, Palaeopotorous Priscus (Flannery and Rich, 1986), sub family Propleopinae species, Propleopus Wellingtonensis (Archer and Flanner, 1985), subfamily Potoroinae, species are Potorous Platyops (Gould, 1844), Potorous Tridactylus (Philip, 1789;White, 1790;Kerr, 1792), Potorous Longipes (Seedbeck and Johnston, 1980). Plate: 1: The Kangaroo, an iconic animal of Australia (adapted from The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 1997). These marsupials are herbivorous and nocturnal usually occupying different environments some make nests (tree-kangaroo), under trees and caves (larger species of kangaroo). They are regarded as Australia national emblem though it has not officially been proclaimed (The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 1997). Interestingly, these wonderful marsupials appear on the coat of arms of New South Wales (1906) and the commonwealth coat of arms (1908). This cements the unique identity that the kangaroos over time in Australia more and above any organism. Australians have depended on kangaroo for survival over a long time and even to date; they continue to be used as a resource but under very strict government control (Oslen and Braysher, 2000). Legislations aimed at protecting kangaroos have been drawn in all Australian territories and states. Only the four common species of kangaroo are commercially harvested for export, but this is only done by licensed hunters in accordance with an approved management plan (The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 1997). Kangaroos have been known to be very versatile and can live in different habitats; some are found on some islands on outskirts of Australia. As the food become scarce and their habitats become threatened by human settlement, kangaroos are now found exploring new habitats as they search for food. Kangaroos inhabit a variety of habitats in Australia such as cold climate areas and desert plains to tropical rain forests and beaches, some species of kangaroo even live on trees. Antilopine wallaroo, a kangaroo species adapted for wet, tropical climate, faces the greatest potential risk as a six degree increase may lead to their extinction if they are unable to adapt to the arid grassland that such a temperature change is likely to produce (University of Chicago Press Journals, 2008; Ritchie and Bolitho, 2008). In the socio-economic sectors, the kangaroo has immense significance as sources employment opportunities for the citizens in the tourism sectors and this has led to a steady flow of foreign currency. Economic Effects of Kangaroo Kangaroos are important in production of meat which is exported to over 55 countries. Kangaroo meat is becoming increasingly popular and export markets are expected to expand since kangaroo meat is considered the finest game meat because it contains very little saturated fat relative to other meat and is rich in protein Zinc and Iron (Pople, 2004; The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 1997). Kangaroos are of great importance in the tourism industry of Australia, attracting millions of tourists each year and comprising a major source of foreign revenue (Higginbottom et al., 2004). The use of kangaroo image and textual references in advertising material has added more value for the kangaroo in tourism. According to Higginbottom et al (2004), a picture of kangaroo was found to enhance the perception of value for a trip to Australia and most of the visitors who come to Australia confess to value watching the kangaroo. Kangaroo can be a very useful in marketing communications where there is a need to communicate quickly and immediately that the message is about Australia and to generate positive responses (Higginbottom et al., 2004). Thus, kangaroos are important to the tourism industry in Australia and are a well recognized icon with overseas visitors. The use of kangaroos in tourism is widely spread and many tourists are highly satisfied with encounter with kangaroo. Kangaroo skin and furs are exported to Europe, USA and Asia. Kangaroo skin is very strong yet light in weight and is used in manufacture of high quality leather goods, including footwear. Cultural importance Kangaroo is an easily identifiable marsupial unique to Australia and is featured prominently on Australian coat of arms, signifying the federation of Australian states. Coat of arms is an important part of Australia’s cultural identity and is inextricably connected to the kangaroo the latter being a source of unique Australian identity (NSW Young Lawyers, 2001). The boxing kangaroo appears at many international sporting events. A couple of sporting events and sporting teams that utilize the kangaroo for example the North kangaroos who are an AFL team, the Hockeyross who represent Australia in Hockey and the Wallabies who represent Australia in rugby union (NSW Young Lawyers, 2001). Consequently, the kangaroo should be treated with a lot of value not because of their economic value alone but also due to their significance as Australia’s national symbol. Due to the great importance of kangaroo in the culture of Australia much care must be taken to preserve all the species. Biogeography of Kangaroo and its significance Macropod species in South Australia respond differently to the broad landscape changes that occurred primarily as a result of European settlement. Smaller wallabies have declined in distribution to a point where they are now listed as threatened and some have become extinct (Department for Environment and Heritage, 2008). Kangaroo are abundant in nature and this has led to conflict with pastoral and agricultural land uses. They can also have impact on biodiversity objectives through grazing on native flora and competition with other native flora. There are legislations on long term conservation of kangaroos, but this also acknowledges the abundant nature of kangaroos and their resource value and allows for their commercial harvest in a sustainable manner and for their destructions on private land. Kangaroos should be conserved and maintained within ecologically sustainable limits. In conclusion kangaroos are very useful to people of Australia they should therefore be well managed. Management of kangaroo will lead to multiple outcomes, commercial harvest for example can allow for the operation of an industry that supports rural areas and provides direct and indirect employment opportunities and provide meat and skin products for national and international markets. Management of kangaroo is a component of natural resource management and should be integrated with the management of other natural resources. Due to the intrinsic value as species, kangaroos are valued for their roles in the ecosystem and Australian landscapes and for their ability to be used as a sustainable resource (Department for Environment and Heritage, 2008) References Department for Environment and Heritage (2008). The Kangaroo Conservation and Management Plan for South Australia 2008-2012. Available http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/sources/management-plans/pubs/sa-kangaroo-08.pdf Accessed November 3, 2012 Higginbottom, K., Northrope, C.L., Croft, D.B., Hill, B. and Fredline, L. (2004). The role of kangaroos in Australian tourism. Australian Mammalogy, 26:23-32. Kelly J. (2008) Kangaroo industry background. Available at http://www.kangaroo-industry.asn.au/morinfo/BACKGR1.HTM Accessed November 3, 2012 National Health and Medical Research Council (1990). A guide to the use of Australian native mammals in medical research, Department of community services and health, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra. ISBN 0 644 124709 NSW Young Lawyers (2001). A submission on the draft kangaroo management programmes. Oslen, P. and Braysher, M. (2000). [for the] Kangaroo Management Advisory Committee. Pople, A. (2004) Population monitoring for kangaroo management. Australian Mammalogy 26: 37-44. Ritchie, E.G. and Bolitho, E.E. (2008). Australia’s Savanna Herbivores Bioclimatic Distributions and an assessment of the potential impact of regional climate change. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 81:6. Seebeck J.H and Rose R.W (n.d) Fauna of Australia, 30. POTOROIDAE. Available at http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/publications/fauna-of-australia/pubs/volume1b/30-ind.pdf Accessed November 3, 2012 The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (1997). Australian Kangaroos. Fact sheet, 23. Available at www.dfat.gov.au Accessed November 3, 2012. Read More