A Sorry Day for Kangaroos? Yes, Please.
This week, the Department of Conservation (DOC) in New Zealand issued a formal apology to the kea—a cheeky alpine parrot—after a ranger referred to it as a “bird.” The term, according to a university student’s complaint, was “outdated, exclusionary, and rooted in colonial ornithology.” DOC responded swiftly, sending the ranger to a “species sensitivity session” and announcing that kea will now be referred to as “beak-enabled sky entities.”
There’s a plaque. There’s a ceremony. There’s a public reckoning.
Meanwhile, here in Australia, our kangaroos are being slaughtered en masse every single day. Shot in the dark. Chased by spotlight. Orphaned. Commodified. And not a single ceremony in sight.
Where is their Sorry Day?
Where is the public recognition of the trauma inflicted on our mobs? Where is the compassion for the joeys left to die in the cold? Where is the outrage for the elders who fall to bullets in the night?
Kangaroos are not pests. They are not products. They are not “feed” for dogs or birds or humans. They are mothers, joeys, sentinels of the land. They are the heartbeat of this country.
If we can apologise to a kea for calling it a bird, surely we can apologise to a kangaroo for calling it a target.
This isn’t about semantics. It’s about survival. It’s about acknowledging the violence we’ve normalised. It’s about choosing compassion over convenience.
Let’s stop feeding wildlife with wildlife. Let’s stop pretending that regulated killing is humane. Let’s stop calling slaughter “harvest.”
It’s time. Time to honour our kangaroos. Time to protect them. Time to say sorry—and mean it.
Steps to Create a National Sorry Day for Kangaroos ~ who wants to take this on???
1. Start Locally with a Commemorative Event
Host a local ceremony or vigil to honour kangaroos lost to culling, road trauma, or neglect.
Include elements like:
Acknowledgement of Country
Poetry, music, or readings
Symbolic gestures (e.g., planting trees, laying wreaths, lighting candles)
Educational talks on kangaroo welfare and conservation
Use templates from Anzac Portalor NSW Veterans Affairsto guide your planning.
2. Choose a Meaningful Date
Consider aligning with existing wildlife awareness days or anniversaries of significant events (e.g., mass culls, policy changes).
The date gives your campaign a focal point for annual recognition.
3. Build Community and Organizational Support
Partner with wildlife sanctuaries, carers, advocacy groups, and First Nations communities.
Gather petitions, letters of support, and media coverage to demonstrate public interest.
Share stories like Lucy’s and Jaffa’s to humanize the cause.
4. Engage Local and State Government
Submit a proposal to your local council to endorse the day and host events.
Approach your state MP to raise the issue in parliament or support a motion.
5. Seek Federal Recognition
Once momentum builds, you can petition the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet or relevant federal ministers to consider national recognition.
This may involve:
Formal submissions
Advocacy campaigns
Parliamentary petitions or motions
Why It Matters
Creating a Sorry Day for kangaroos would:
Acknowledge the suffering and loss caused by human actions
Promote ethical wildlife care and policy reform
Offer a space for healing, education, and cultural reflection
Honour carers, rescuers, and the animals themselves
This is Cherish. Her mum was shot. One of so many lost, night after night. We are so sorry, little one. You should be safe in a pouch, not learning the world without her. We will do everything we can to honour her life—and protect yours