Herding kangaroos is a very

difficult task. The wretched creatures tend to jump all over the place. They change their minds in which direction they want to go. They can jump unexpectedly high. Their rear feet can knock you flat. Their front paws can do immense damage when they are aroused. They can move at speeds which always take their herders at surprise. Sometimes they can even sustain those speeds for some distance. They eat copious amounts needed by others.

We vote for these kangaroos of course. There are the "red" kangaroos -currently in the "caretaker" position. Only the males are "red". Despite all the claims to the contrary the females, with one notable exception in the past, are always smaller and a rather odd shade of grey. Occasionally the females manage to jump into positions of authority in smaller areas of grassland but they rarely lack the authority to do the job. I can think of one or two exceptions. (One of these is always straying off to feed on other pastures.)

Then there are the "grey" kangaroos - both "eastern" and "western" varieties. The "eastern" variety have "business" grey fur. The "western" variety tend to have browner earth coloured fur. These two mobs seem to get along well enough - although they might get along better if they became one mob. The females are less likely to hold front line positions of power in the feeding grounds but they sometimes do a remarkable job of keeping the rest of the mob together.

And then there are the "antilopine" mob - except that they really are not a mob at all. They are a diverse lot always getting in the way. They trip others up or refuse to budge from the blades of grass they are feeding on. When they have exhausted one patch they are quite happy to find a new patch of grass - even if it is an entirely different sort of grass.

There are no real leaders in any of this. There are a few who try. They fight among themselves and fail to keep an eye on what their mobs are doing. The idea that they might actually look at the grass and see what really needs to be cared for is something which seems to be beyond them. 

Now they are all being threatened from a different sort of animal. It is seeking out the best places to plant the bamboo on which they live. So far no kangaroo seems to be aware of this. At best they are vaguely conscious of the existence of these creatures - often regarded as "cute" and "cuddly" even though in reality they are neither.  The kangaroos have actually been prepared to eat the tips of the bamboo on which these creatures feast. It saves the kangaroos the effort of caring for their own grass.

Nobody seems to be aware of the possibility that these creatures might take over the feeding grounds and plant more and more bamboo to feed their young.  They like their bamboo plantations to be efficiently managed so as to bring about the best possible return for their work.

Is it just possible we are heading for regulation under a Department of Panda Efficiency? DoPE?