'Horrific' and 'Shocking': 65 Kangaroos Found Dead

"It was pretty horrific ... they had broken legs, gunshot wounds, it was shocking." So said an Australian wildlife rescuer in describing a grisly scene in the state of Victoria: the discovery of at least five dozen murdered kangaroos. AFP reports the 65 eastern grey kangaroos were found shot and featuring "traumatic injuries consistent with being rammed by a vehicle" on June 22 in Gobarup, the state's Conservation Regulator.

Australia's ABC reports the kangaroos were found in rural paddocks about 75 miles north of Melbourne; they were spread out over nearly 500 acres. Victoria prohibits the hunting and killing of wildlife in general, but authorized harvesters can legally shoot grey kangaroos on farms as part of a kangaroo harvesting program designed to protect livestock. It's not yet clear who carried out the killings, which are thought to have happened over a 23-hour period starting at 5pm on June 21. A criminal investigation is underway. Australia's AP reports an additional group of about 19 kangaroos were found dead of similar injuries about 170 miles away. (More kangaroo stories.)