Most Australians have eaten kangaroo meat, and the best way of getting them to eat more is to turn it into pies, mince and gourmet deli meat, researchers have found.
The findings, published in local media earlier this month, come amidst growing international protests over plans to cull 400 kangaroos on defense department land where they are said to be overgrazing.
But millions of kangaroos are slaughtered in the wild every year on the basis that there are too many. Much of the meat is used for pet food, and attempts are being made to make it more appetizing for humans.
PHOTO: AP
The latest research, Consumer attitudes to kangaroo meat products, says the unique hopping animals provide "the ultimate free-range food."
More than 58 percent of Australians have eaten kangaroo, up from 51 percent a decade ago, the authors say, suggesting there is room for growth.
"The most promising products in which kangaroo manufacturing meat could be used (are) mince, deli meats and pies," the report says.
A survey had shown that "there was a clear preference for the Chunky Beef & Roo pie (rather than just kangaroo)." And kangaroo sausages are already marketed as "kanga-bangers."
Official government figures show the kangaroo population "has fluctuated between 15 and 50 million animals over the past 20 years in the harvested areas, depending on seasonal conditions."
But not everyone would be happy to receive a kangaroo scrotum purse (a common item in tourist shops). A supporter of the British-based animal rights group Viva!, former Beatle Paul McCartney, has called the commercial slaughter of kangaroos a "shameful massacre."
"There is an urgent need for action to protect kangaroos from a barbaric industry which slaughters them for meat and leather," he is quoted as saying on Viva's Web site.(AFP)
大多數的澳洲人都吃過袋鼠肉，而研究學者發現，讓人吃了還想再吃的最佳烹調方式，就是將袋鼠肉製成派、絞肉和高級美食食材。
本月初這項研究結果在當地媒體刊登時，正值國防部計畫撲殺基地內過度繁殖、破壞草地的四百隻袋鼠，引發國際抗議聲浪高漲。
但是每年澳洲都撲殺數百萬隻過度繁殖的野生袋鼠，許多袋鼠肉被製成寵物食品，業者還試圖將它們製成更吸引大眾的美味。
最新研究「消費者對袋鼠肉製品的態度」顯示，這種有特色的蹦蹦跳動物提供澳洲「最早的野生放養食物」。
研究作者表示，五成八以上的澳洲民眾吃過袋鼠肉，比十年前的五成一微幅升高，作者認為未來仍有成長的空間。
報導指出：「製成絞肉、熟食和派的袋鼠肉製品最有可能攻下市場。」
一項調查顯示，「大家比較偏好牛肉袋鼠派（比起純袋鼠派而言）」，而袋鼠香腸「kanga-bangers」也早已上市。
政府官方數據顯示，過去二十年間，依照不同季節環境條件，產殖區內的袋鼠數量會在一千五百萬到五千萬隻間波動。
但是並非每個人都樂於收到一個袋鼠陰囊皮包（觀光紀念品店常見的商品），英國動物保育團體「國際素食者動物之音」支持者─前披頭四團員保羅．麥卡尼就稱這種為商業利益撲殺袋鼠的行為是「可恥的大屠殺」。
他在「國際素食者動物之音」網站上表示：「我們亟須採取行動，保護袋鼠免受那些為取用牠們毛皮和肉的野蠻企業撲殺。」（法新社／翻譯：袁星塵）
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