Justin Gilligan's Image

A red kangaroo, killed by a vehicle, lies in the middle of an outback road. Driving past, Justin noticed how it was framed by the orange dust of its natural environment and positioned as though suspended in mid-leap. He used a drone to capture a graphic image that highlights the amount of roadkill on Australia’s outback highways.

Despite being a symbol of Australia, their abundance today means that some farmers consider kangaroos to be pests. They say the ‘roos’ damage crops and compete with livestock for scarce resources. Culling takes place in four states where the kangaroos are harvested for their meat and hides. Thousands of others, like this one, are killed on the roads.