Australia mulls kangaroo cull

Australia's government is considering a request to cull more than 3,000 kangaroos on government properties on the outskirts of Canberra.

Defence Department officials want to hire professional hunters to kill the eastern grey kangaroos, which are eating through the grassy habitats of endangered species on the properties.

The roughly 6,500 animals on the two properties, which are facing starvation because of the drought, are causing permanent damage to the sites and threatening endangered species including the grassland earless dragon, striped legless lizard and golden sun moth, officials said.

Under the Defence Department request, about 3,200 of the kangaroos would be shot by July.

Animal rights groups have criticized the cull as needless, cruel and violent.

On the Oxley farm in New South Wales, there are kangaroos as far as the eye can see.

"If you mentioned a figure it would send shivers down people's spines, but I wouldn't be surprised if we had 20,000 roos on the place," said Phil Woodward, the farm manager.

All those 'roos' have to eat. But it isn't easy to find food. Some parts of Australia haven't had rain in two years. The kangaroos are competing with livestock for whatever food there is to eat.

Many farmers say it's time for a massive cull.