Biennial kangaroo population surveys are continuing across Victoria this month. The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) said helicopters are flying at low altitudes and slow speeds to count kangaroos. A DEECA spokesperson said flights are carefully planned to avoid houses and livestock, and they are expected to be completed by 30 September. "These surveys improve our understanding of Victoria's kangaroo population and help inform wildlife management decisions," they said. The last statewide survey in 2024 estimated Victoria's total kangaroo population at 2,345,000 (comprising 2,094,000 Eastern Greys, 212,000 Western Greys and 39,000 red kangaroos), which was slightly down on 2022 (2,418,000). The Hume region, which includes the North East, had the highest number of kangaroos of all five regions in the state in 2024 with 771,000 Eastern Greys. The 2020 survey put Murrindindi Shire's Eastern Grey kangaroo population at 147,200, the fourth highest in Victoria.
