KANGAROOS IN CAPTIVITY. 

 By H. L. WHITE. Belltrees, Scone, New South Wales. 



" In captivity " mav be hardly the correct term to apply to the state of my animals ; " under 

 restraint " is probably more suitable. A fifteen-acre paddock accommodates a flock of about thirty 

 kangaroos and a few wallabies, and. excepting during a couple of winter months or an exceptionally 

 dry summer, they require no artificial feed. But their pasturage now shows signs of over-stocking, 

 and requires a rest. 



Some thirty years ago I commenced keeping pet kangaroos about the house, allowing them to run 

 at liberty. Their end being usually caused by visiting dogs. I erected a small wire netting enclosure 

 of about an acre. In this I kept a large grey kangaroo and a few wallaroos. The first-named became 

 father celebrated ; he was of immense size and named " Ben," a wonderful fighter and very bad 

 tempered. Upon several occasions he broke the wire netting by kicking it when teased, and he half- 

 killed a couple of men who ventured into his domain ; he was eventually destroyed. Before "Ben " 

 became savage, it was amusing to watch him approach the gardener when the latter used the hose. 

 " Ben " would come right up to the netting, and when the man played the hose upon him, would turn 

 round slowly, lifting his arms meanwhile, so that every portion of his body might get a thorough wetting. 



About ten years ago I enclosed fifteen acres of land adjoining the house garden with a six-foot 

 fence of netting and barbed wire. In this paddock were placed specimens of all the species of kangaroos 

 and wallabies I could conveniently secure, most of them being pets. I have found hunted-down or 

 trapped animals do not usually live ; they either pine away or break their necks in the fence. I have 

 had better success in this respect with wallabies than kangaroos. 



My stock now consists of 15 Wallaroos, Macroptts robustus, 10 Grey Kangaroos, M. giganteus, and 

 5 Red Kangaroos, M. rufus. They all breed freefy, wallaroos rather better than the others — in fact 

 my chief trouble is to keep the number of the last named within reasonable Umits. 



When my paddock becomes overstocked. I reduce the numbers by letting some of the animals 

 loose. This would appear an easy matter, but is very far from it. If an attempt is made to drive the 

 kangaroos through the gate, there is trouble at once, very little excitement causing them to dash 

 into the fence, when serious injuries often result. They will not face the opening, but run or jump 

 over both man and horse attempting to stop or turn them. I erected a small yard in one corner of 

 the paddock, which opens into a shed where water, rocksalt and feed is placed. It is made of 10 feet 

 iron, fastened upright to stout timber, and has a very small gate opening into the outer lands. During 

 a very dry spell the hungry animals will enter the 3'ard as soon as food is put out ; then, watching an 

 opportunity the gate is closed behind them by means of a long string pulled from some distance away. 

 Say that a dozen kangaroos are trapped, wild excitement ensues, the larger animals trampling on the 

 smaller, fighting with one another, and attempting to scramble over the fence. In the midst of this I 

 enter armed with a bamboo rod having a noosed rope at the end. The selected animal is roped and 

 immediately dragged out through the small gate, and either popped into a crate for transmission to the 

 Zoo, or let loose. Before the yard is opened into the paddock again several of the smaller kangaroos 



are killed or crippled by the larger ones, while amongst the last named a broken neck or leg is not a 

 rarity. Even after the animals are set at liberty, trouble does not end. The majority will not leave 

 the vicinity ; some jump back into the paddock, others are killed by dogs, while a very few take to the 

 bush. Upon one occasion I liberated two very large male grey kangaroos by coaxing them into a lane, 

 driving them i| miles along it, and over a river which they had to swim ; they were both back 

 next morning. I let them into the paddock again, re-trapped, and sent them off to Sydney Zoo. 



