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How have Aboriginal burning practices affected kangaroo habitat?

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Red kangaroos on the move — kangaroo A group of red kangaroos (*Macropus rufus*) using their powerful hind legs and feet to hop.

Aboriginal burning practices have significantly shaped the Australian landscape, ultimately benefiting kangaroos by altering their habitat.1

For thousands of years, Australian Aboriginal peoples have used fire to manage the land, a practice often referred to as controlled burning. These fires were traditionally lit to keep the country open and accessible, to hunt small game, and to encourage the growth of fresh green grass.23

By regularly burning large areas of forest and grassland, these practices opened up the environment, which favored large grazers like kangaroos at the expense of smaller browsers. The resulting vegetation changes created favorable conditions for these marsupials, contributing to their long-term success and population growth across the continent.1