Severe drought has kangaroos in suburban Canberra on the hunt for food and water

Severe drought conditions have forced kangaroos into the suburbs in a last-ditch bid for food and water.

In recent weeks, kangaroos have been spotted in Ainslie, just 3.5km from Canberra, as well as in neighbouring Hackett.

Residents in Tuggeranong and Woden have also had unwelcome visitors eating grass from their front lawns.

In a video posted to Youtube on Tuesday, a mob of roos jumped past several parked cars as they made their way down a street in search of food. 

Kangaroos chasing food and water in suburban Canberra due to the severe drought

Daniel Iglesias, the Director of ACT Parks and Conservation, described the current influx into the Canberra region as the ‘perfect kangaroo storm’. 

‘Frosts dry grasses out and this adds to the problem of kangaroo food being scarce,’ he said.

‘Kangaroos are travelling further than usual for food and they are forced to consider ovals, front yards, laneways and roadsides to find some green grass.’

As the drought intensifies, some farmers are being forced to fork out tens of thousands of dollars per truckload of hay to feed their animals.

With food for livestock rapidly dwindling, farmers often have no choice but to shoot their own stock.

Kangaroo bones have been found in large numbers by farmers in paddocks across the nation.

Usually these remains are quickly destroyed by feral animals such as foxes. 

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently unveiled a package of measures worth an estimated $140 million to help farmers struggling to cope with the conditions as well as for mental health support.

A series of kangaroos in suburban Canberra on the hunt for food and water due to the drought