Super El Niño Amplifies Climate Stress on Australia’s Kangaroo Populations

On World Kangaroo Day, Oct. 24, Australia marked the country’s iconic macropods while highlighting how the 2026 super El Niño is reshaping their habitats. The continent hosts 59 macropod species, including the four main kangaroos—red, western grey, eastern grey, and antilopine—whose combined numbers hover between 30 million and 50 million, fluctuating with drought and rainfall. State governments have responded to these high numbers with controversial cull programs aimed at population control. Meanwhile, smaller and rarer species face heightened threats: the musky rat‑kangaroo, the critically endangered Gilbert’s poteroo, and the two tree‑kangaroos of Far North Queensland. Even more vulnerable are the quokka, bettong, and potoroo, with six kangaroo species already extinct since European colonisation and at least eleven others in peril. The super El Niño’s extreme weather is accelerating these pressures, underscoring the urgent need for adaptive conservation strategies.