Reliable population estimates are fundamental to ensuring the sustainability of the commercial harvest and are used to set the annual harvest quotas. The NSW Government has been researching and monitoring kangaroos under the NSW Kangaroo Management Program since the 1970s. Over this period improvements have been made to the design of surveys to estimate kangaroo population size, based on the best available science.
The 2023 Quota Report – NSW Commercial Kangaroo Management Program details the current survey methods for estimating kangaroo population size across the Northern and Central Tablelands, South East and Western New South Wales.
Annual harvest quotas established through population monitoring are allocated across 15 kangaroo management zones.
Kangaroo management map showing all zones.
Population reports
Tablelands
The NSW Tablelands is divided into 3 broad regions for monitoring populations. These are the Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands and South East New South Wales. Each of these regions are surveyed triennially. The Tablelands region consists of 6 kangaroo management zones within which commercial harvesting is administered. Results of Tablelands population surveys are published below.
Northern Tablelands
(Armidale, Glen Innes, Upper Hunter)
Central Tablelands
(Central Tablelands North, Central Tablelands South)
South East New South Wales
(South East New South Wales)
Western Plains
Kangaroo populations on the Western Plains are surveyed annually. These surveys cover 9 kangaroo management zones. Results are used to determine population estimates and administer quota. The Griffith zone was divided into Griffith North and Griffith South in 2019. Results of Western Plains populations surveys are published below. Red and grey kangaroo population estimates by zone for 2010–20. These estimates only apply to the Western Plains.
Red kangaroos – Western Plains – estimates
| Year | Tibooburra | Broken Hill | Lower Darling | Cobar | Bourke | Narrabri | Coonabarabran | Griffith | Griffith North | Griffith South | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 344,350 | 1,746,169 | 667,100 | 183,195 | 214,369 | 345,322 | 197,356 | – | 199,456 | 331,894 | 4,229,211 |
| 2021 | 336,735 | 1,281,119 | 750,367 | 180,501 | 164,351 | 310,030 | 226,411 | – | 284,023 | 113,125 | 3,646,662 |
| 2020 | 200,465 | 1,197,474 | 583,802 | 102,480 | 117,975 | 190,468 | 152,052 | – | 126,160 | 253,492 | 2,924,368 |
| 2019 | 79,346 | 1,124,115 | 691,119 | 36,058 | 497,085 | 346,451 | 500,137 | – | 159,545 | 106,788 | 3,540,644 |
| 2018 | 344,619 | 1,133,523 | 307,619 | 44,733 | 244,687 | 353,348 | 218,312 | 284,853 | – | – | 2,931,694 |
| 2017 | 1,135,531 | 823,210 | 289,385 | 229,495 | 461,968 | 785,211 | 588,404 | 819,450 | – | – | 5,132,654 |
| 2016 | 1,567,598 | 1,206,597 | 619,113 | 437,129 | 730,140 | 780,834 | 421,498 | 601,325 | – | – | 6,364,234 |
| 2015 | 1,061,784 | 2,168,733 | 387,272 | 357,287 | 504,671 | 315,429 | 505,429 | 589,282 | – | – | 5,889,886 |
| 2014 | 1,256,418 | 2,192,347 | 289,106 | 298,459 | 439,559 | 406,847 | 590,194 | 950,341 | – | – | 6,423,271 |
| 2013 | 903,279 | 1,219,455 | 423,518 | 193,738 | 460,225 | 369,861 | 373,924 | 536,580 | – | – | 4,480,580 |
| 2012 | 937,643 | 1,138,627 | 295,180 | 252,750 | 429,000 | 371,257 | 357,256 | 366,603 | – | – | 4,148,316 |
| 2011 | 621,124 | 1,079,052 | 186,473 | 210,921 | 444,932 | 530,367 | 343,239 | 556,415 | – | – | 3,972,522 |
| 2010 | 636,037 | 855,368 | 193,930 | 148,176 | 251,196 | 433,365 | 250,624 | 245,208 | – | – | 3,013,908 |
Grey kangaroos – Western Plains – estimates
| Year | Tibooburra | Broken Hill | Lower Darling | Cobar | Bourke | Narrabri | Coonabarabran | Griffith | Griffith North | Griffith South | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 16,510 | 211,832 | 340,884 | 40,278 | 30,385 | 289,798 | 1,042,877 | – | 941,071 | 535,660 | 3,449,295 |
| 2021 | 30,600 | 184,257 | 281,919 | 68,223 | 36,462 | 311,846 | 1,035,233 | – | 682,365 | 511,201 | 3,142,106 |
| 2020 | 6,859 | 281,410 | 314,639 | 44,208 | 41,501 | 745,775 | 891,090 | – | 421,161 | 371,796 | 3,118,439 |
| 2019 | 48,502 | 326,644 | 378,718 | 7,317 | 51,734 | 765,632 | 1,536,291 | – | 1,029,202 | 660,066 | 4,804,106 |
| 2018 | 184,002 | 395,360 | 281,035 | 81,391 | 183,950 | 728,648 | 1,274,243 | 919,282 | – | – | 3,981,911 |
| 2017 | 176,058 | 438,131 | 212,474 | 184,069 | 221,401 | 445,768 | 915,211 | 1,262,635 | – | – | 3,855,747 |
| 2016 | 451,594 | 672,187 | 566,970 | 405,079 | 473,265 | 1,434,755 | 1,089,374 | 1,241,399 | – | – | 6,334,623 |
| 2015 | 234,927 | 564,083 | 360,959 | 492,207 | 474,326 | 813,425 | 1,836,656 | 1,476,232 | – | – | 6,252,816 |
| 2014 | 44,669 | 444,547 | 397,584 | 546,338 | 471,812 | 1,321,410 | 2,417,012 | 1,376,362 | – | – | 7,019,734 |
| 2013 | 163,392 | 586,534 | 486,859 | 660,596 | 541,622 | 1,874,886 | 2,071,115 | 1,780,269 | – | – | 8,165,273 |
| 2012 | 73,882 | 221,803 | 232,187 | 311,522 | 446,909 | 1,246,675 | 1,457,381 | 700,388 | – | – | 4,690,747 |
| 2011 | 51,214 | 179,320 | 98,973 | 176,060 | 128,018 | 1,229,345 | 1,089,829 | 541,306 | – | – | 3,494,063 |
| 2010 | 37,780 | 241,831 | 231,585 | 256,097 | 140,721 | 752,770 | 935,327 | 562,930 | – | – | 3,159,044 |