GAIA informs
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kangourou
13 December 2024

A significant milestone will be reached in the fight against kangaroo hunting and its devastating impact on animals. An ordinance will be introduced in the Brussels Parliament to ban the sale of kangaroo meat and leather. This initiative directly follows the historic visit of a delegation of Aboriginal people from Australia and GAIA representatives, who urged parliamentarians to take responsibility for Belgium’s role in what is considered the largest massacre of wild land animals in the world.

kangourou - déposition bruxelloise

A Proposal to Ban Products Derived from Kangaroo Hunting

Its aim is to prohibit the sale of products originating from kangaroo hunting in the Brussels-Capital Region. This action builds on awareness campaigns by GAIA and a delegation of Aboriginal people, who exposed Belgium’s responsibility in this barbaric practice.

GAIA, which has been fighting against this trade for years, welcomes this step and calls on all parliamentarians to support the proposal.

“This parliamentary initiative reflects political awareness. Our country can no longer condone these cruel practices against kangaroos and their cultural and ecological impact”

Ann De Greef
CEO of GAIA

Belgium: A Major Player in the Kangaroo Products Trade

The commercial hunting of kangaroos is the largest massacre of wild land animals in the world. Each year, over 7.5 million kangaroos in Australia can be slaughtered, often under horrific conditions. The nighttime hunting leads to about 40% of the animals being severely injured and subjected to harrowing methods to end their suffering. The law dictates that hunters must “smash the skull and destroy the brain” of wounded animals. Additionally, each year, around 400,000 joeys—the young of slaughtered females—die slowly from starvation or become easy prey for predators.

Belgique - 1er importateur européen - viande de kangourou

With over 80,000 kangaroos killed annually for the Belgian market, Belgium is the largest European importer of kangaroo meat and the second-largest importer worldwide. Although most supermarkets stopped selling kangaroo meat in 2020 thanks to GAIA’s campaigns, some restaurants and specialty stores in Belgium continue to offer these products despite the campaigns and public awareness efforts. Most of the imported products are re-exported to other countries.

décathlon arrête les chaussures avec peau de kangourou

Strong Commitments: Decathlon Takes a Stand Against Kangaroo Leather

Influential brands are also joining this fight. Decathlon, a global sports brand, recently announced that it would stop selling products made from kangaroo leather, such as football shoes, by 2027. This decision follows similar steps taken by Nike and Puma and represents a significant milestone in reducing the global demand for products derived from this cruel hunt. 

A Nationwide Debate

In Flanders, Vooruit (the socialist party) plans to submit a similar proposal in the future. GAIA calls on Wallonia to take action within the Walloon Region to put an end to this unacceptable trade. At the same time, GAIA advocates for such measures to be implemented across all Belgian regions.

GAIA remains committed to ensuring these legislative initiatives are adopted without delay.

An Historic Victory in the Making

The ordinance in the Brussels Parliament, combined with the commitment of brands like Decathlon and civic initiatives, marks historic progress. However, the fight is far from over. GAIA continues to advocate firmly for a complete ban on the sale of products from the commercial kangaroo hunt.