THE Mornington Peninsula's dwindling population of eastern grey kangaroos is facing possibly a greater threat than farmers' rifles – impenetrable fences.
Last week, The Mail revealed concerns over peninsula landowners obtaining licences to shoot kangaroos. But wildlife experts and amateur conservationists are becoming even more critical of the increasing number of landowners erecting kangaroo-proof fences.
At least 10 landowners in the vicinity of Greens Bush, part of Mornington Peninsula National Park between Flinders and Main Ridge, have erected fences up to 2.1 metres high.
The fences are splitting mobs of kangaroos and forcing them into unfamiliar territory. Some have crossed the peninsula from the Western Port side to Port Phillip side where farmers who have not previously had "problems" with roos are rushing to get culling permits.
Peninsula fauna ecologist Mal Legg cites the example of what happened when the federal government sold the former Overseas Telecommunications Corporation land at Cape Schanck. (OTC and Telecom Australia were merged by the government to create Telstra in 1992.)
"The new owner erected roo-proof fences and some mobs living there migrated north and west, across the hinterland and down into the Kangerong Valley between Mt Martha and Dromana," he said.
Complaints by conservationists about fences have fallen on deaf ears, neither Mornington Peninsula Shire or the Department of Sustainability and Environment appearing to have any legal right to stop them.
Shire planner Niall Sheehy said that in most rural areas fencing was exempt from a planning permit.
Ian Temby, one of DSE's senior wildlife managers, told The Mail the department did not have the authority "to dictate what kind of fencing is used by private land-
holders", but "discourages the use of kangaroo-proof fencing because it can block the movement of kangaroos and other wildlife".
"Fencing can funnel kangaroos onto adjoining areas where their impact can be increased (due to loss of part of their foraging area) and some fence designs can trap and kill wildlife. In this situation, DSE can direct that a fence be modified to reduce its potential to trap wildlife."
Mr Temby said DSE was concerned about any increase in the use of kangaroo-proof fencing, "particularly in an area where there are many properties already using [such] fences".
He said kangaroos were in good numbers on land managed by Parks Victoria [a division of DSE].
"DSE does not manage land there [Mornington Peninsula], but does advise private landholders on kangaroo management, providing Authorities to Control Wildlife [a fancy name for a permit to kill kangaroos] to enable limited destruction of kangaroos in preference to seeing exclusion of kangaroos by fencing."
He said the DSE issued permits to control kangaroo numbers on various parts of the Mornington Peninsula "and considers that kangaroo populations are secure there".
The increase in roo-proof fences on the peninsula infuriates Australian Wildlife Protection Council president Maryland Wilson of Moorooduc, a passionate, 30-year defender of our national symbol.
"Kangaroos are integral to the ecological health of Australia. The soft padded feet and long tail of the kangaroo are integral to the ecological health of the land as regenerators of native grasses," she said.
"Kangaroos have been living harmoniously and in balance with their environment for millions of years. They are perfectly adapted for their natural habitat.
"Any seedling that falls into the long-tapering footprint of the kangaroo is buried in the hole left by the toenail.
"Covered and with moisture concentrated at one point, the germinated seedling has a chance of survival. Their tail drags along behind them while they are grazing, pressing the ground, rolling seeds into the earth."
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