Man charged over alleged kangaroo killing after shocking video
WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT: A 43-year-old man from Melbourne has been arrested after shocking video emerged of him allegedly stabbing a kangaroo to death.
Officers from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) arrested the man on Wednesday evening and charged him with one count of destroying protected wildlife.
On Tuesday night video emerged on social media of a man slashing at the throat of the kangaroo at least 18 times.
The animal appears to have an injured leg and tries to escape into bushland but the man, who wields a large hunting knife, holds the animal down and begins to slice ts throat until it stops crying in pain and goes limp.
The footage quickly went viral and authorities vowed to track down the perpetrator of the cruel killing.
Evidence including firearms, knives and mobile phones have been taken from the arrested man's Ringwood East home.
He was granted bail and will appear at Ringwood Magistrates Court at a date to be confirmed.
"We take all alleged cases of animal cruelty very seriously," DELWP manager of compliance operations Glenn Sharp said.
"The wildlife offences captured in this video are particularly abhorrent."
Several members of the public came forward with information about the alleged offences after the video was released.
Mr Sharp said Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning worked closely with the RSPCA and Victoria Police to combat wildlife crime.
Under the Wildlife Act 1975, the penalties associated with killing protected wildlife range from $7900 up to $38,000 or six to 24 months' imprisonment.
People can report wildlife crime confidentially to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
