Animal rights, human rights, Earth rights: a sensitive discourse

What role can the kangaroo industry play in land management? Reviewing the options and alternatives, ANU October 22, 2012

A/Prof Colin D ButlerNational Centre for Epidemiology and

Population Health

Main propositions

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1. Some suffering for self and others is inevitable, even if we are vegetarian; not all humans thrive without eating meat

(zinc and iron more important than protein?)

2. Consciousness, emotion evolved, not restricted to humans.

3. Eating meat involves harm to animals, whatever species.

4. Such harm can be modified; not necessarily restricted to killing: need to consider “life cycle analysis” of violence and harm, (including infectious disease potentiation).

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being vegetarian doesn’t guarantee complete non-harm to other species

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Consciousness and emotion have evolved, not restricted to humans (Darwin, 1872)

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ALBERT (OR ALBRECHT) SCHENCK (1828-1901)

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A Boy Looking into a Pig Sty ,George Morland 1794

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Harm to farmed animals not necessarily restricted to killing

(“life cycle analysis” of violence)

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Harm to farmed animals not necessarily restricted to killing

(“life cycle analysis” of violence)

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Minimising harm from kangaroo meat supply

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licensed shooters

“head shot” control

minimising orphaned joeys

benefit: reduced starvation due to drought?

Conclusion

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If you eat meat, then eating kangaroo in Australia has

benefits for nutrition, environment and infectious

diseases. If done well in a regulated environment this also

involves less violence – in some cases far less – than

eating intensively farmed species, especially using a “life

cycle analysis” of violence and harm

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