How many Tasmanian kangaroos are left and why are they going extinct?

Answer 1

The Tasmanian Forester kangaroo, which is actually a sub-species of the Eastern grey kangaroo, has seen its population reduce by up to 90% since the 1800s. As of late 2010, the population of the Tasmanian Forester kangaroo was estimated at 26 000, with only 18 000 of those being adults.

This species of kangaroo is not believed to be going extinct, but it is certainly endangered. This is primarily because they have been hunted extensively for their meat in the past, and also because of habitat loss due to land clearing for agriculture. They are also in competition with livestock and introduced animals for food sources. Baiting by farmers and landowners has also caused a reduction in their numbers. Forester kangaroos, like other kangaroos, are always subject to being killed by cars as they feed so close to the roads at night time, often crossing in front of moving vehicles.

Currently, the Forester kangaroo is protected, so it is hoped that numbers will increase.