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Kangaroo meat could be off the menu for Australians.

Not an everyday meat, the beef steak or lamb chop are still the norm -But Kangaroo is often seen for sale at food stores and served in restaurants.

The current debate is that:

• Like many wildlife, Kangaroos are threatened by the changes in climate (rainfall &temperature shifts) and numbers will reduce (human population growth reduces their territory every year).
• Australia’s chief adviser on climate change has been noted to say that Australians should switch from eating lamb and beef to kangaroo because the marsupials give off much less methane than domestic livestock, making it better for the environment.
• The ‘Cute Skippy factor’? The reason many Aussies have traditionally been reluctant to tuck into kangaroo meat.
• Australians are uneasy about eating meat from the animal, which appears on the country’s coat of arms.

Official government figures show that over the past 20 years the number of kangaroos living wild in Australia has fluctuated between 15 and 50 million, depending on droughts and culls.

It’s not unusal to hear about Croc attacks, there aren’t many but it does happen. We heard just this month of a local chap, whilst on holiday up in the north of Queensland, being snatched by a Croc whilst checking his Crab pots.

Crocodiles live in the North of Queensland (a little north of Rockhampton and upwards) and Northern Territory.

The rule of thumb, when travelling, is to check with the local tourist office or if going ‘bush’ and ‘off the beaten track’ to talk to the National Park rangers. Research and be sure and if in doubt don’t swim or go near the river banks. Danger areas are usually well sign posted.

The famous Australia Zoo (the late Steve Urwin & family, Zoo) is just north of Brisbane and a safe place to see and be informed about the giant creatures.

If you do want to get up close and personal then in Darwin (NT), the newest attraction is: Crocosaurus Cove.

“Come Swim with Northern Territory Saltwater Crocodiles” ~ Perfect for the serious adrenalin junkies. The ‘Cage of Death’ at Crocosaurus Cove is a purpose built acrylic cage which is lowered from an overhead monorail into any of the four separate croc enclosures where you can have a dive encounter with Croc Cove’s massive salt water crocodiles.