I HAVE a special relationship with Canberra’s kangaroos; I know some of them by name and I see hundreds of them most mornings. 

For 15 years I’ve been driving to work in the pre-dawn and I know where the ‘roos are more likely to congregate. Experience has taught me to spot the ones with a death wish.

In all that time, I’ve only ever hit two, one on William Slim Drive at Giralang and another on Northbourne Avenue at Lyneham. I’d hate to even guess how many near misses I’ve had… well over 50.

Despite the best efforts of the animal libbers, the kangaroo cull has proceeded and professional shooters have been plying their trade at seven locations around town.

So why have we done it? Many callers to my radio program believe we’re shooting the ‘roos because of the danger that they pose to motorists. But it’s got nothing to do with car crashes, it’s about preserving endangered ecosystems and minimising the impact of overgrazing.

At the risk of an avalanche of hate mail and social media attacks, I’d be happy if the Government just conceded that one of the main reasons for the cull is to make the roads safer because the number of collisions keeps rising.

In 2011, there was virtually one every day. Last year, the figure blew out to 509 – a significant increase.

An NRMA report into animal-related crashes in Canberra suggested that the hot spots include Kambah and Belconnen (I daresay that would be Sulwood Drive and Belconnen Way) as well as Aranda, Hume and Hall.

The worst kangaroo accident that I nearly had wasn’t even my car… it was on the bike one morning, before 4am, cycling to work in Mitchell.  I found myself surrounded by a mob of a dozen or so kangaroos as I rode down a dark section of the off-road bike path on Gungahlin Drive.

Initially, I couldn’t see them, but I could hear them jumping through the grass next to me. It was surreal and more than a little frightening. Imagine the mess they would have made of me and my bike if one or two of them had suddenly changed direction and sideswiped me.

I’m anticipating the early morning roads to be a little safer after this month’s cull is complete.

Mark Parton is the breakfast announcer on 2CC