Kangaroo numbers have ballooned at another Defence site in Canberra, threatening the survival of several endangered or vulnerable species.
The uncontrolled population has overgrazed the Majura Training Area to such an extent that a report suggests up to 5000 eastern grey kangaroos have starved to death.
The Canberra Times understands Defence Department land managers are demoralised no action was taken after they reported to Defence that it needed to manage the population.
In 2008, Defence contracted the culling of 514 kangaroos at its Belconnen Naval Transmission Station.
Defence and the ACT Government said the cull was needed to protect native grassland and threatened species on the site, and to prevent the kangaroos from starving. It took place almost a year after Defence concluded overgrazing was a problem.
ACT RSPCA chief executive officer Michael Linke said the RSPCA was disgusted that Defence had allegedly allowed animals to starve if the report proved correct.
''To think that Defence have allegedly allowed kangaroos to starve is reprehensible. It borders on mismanagement and incompetence,'' Mr Linke said.
''If Defence have allowed that, despite the advice and information that we've provided them in the past two years, it just shows a total lack of regard for animal welfare.''
A Defence spokesperson said Defence was considering all options for the management of the kangaroo population at the training area.
The spokesperson said Defence was working with the ACT Government, the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment and leading experts to develop a best-practice approach to kangaroo management at the training area.
''Defence has constructed a kangaroo exclusion fence around threatened natural temperate grassland and instigated a monitoring program focused on measuring kangaroo numbers, the recovery of endangered grassland communities and the monitoring of the other endangered communities. This information will inform future management actions for the site,'' the spokesperson said.
''Action will be taken when all options have been considered.''
The spokesperson said Defence conducted monitoring of the Majura training area twice a year. The last count in November 2008 indicated the kangaroo population was more than 9000. In November 2007, the population was more than 6000.
Limestone Plains Group co-convener and consultant botanist Isobel Crawford said Defence conducted a study which showed up to 5000 kangaroos starved to death in one season.
She said it had carried out estimates to try to determine how many kangaroos had died. She said the scientists that carried out the study found no signs of disease; ''it was starvation pure and simple''.
But Ms Crawford said the big issue was about the habitat the kangaroos were destroying and 300-400ha of grassy woodland had become ''completely bare grass''.
Group co-convener David Shorthouse, a visiting fellow in ecology with the ANU's Fenner School, said the group would like to see the landowners and other experts come together to find a solution.
''You'd need a coordinated kangaroo management plan across the whole valley. And February to July is the ACT's culling season, so we're in it now. The ACT Government can issue licenses and it could do so on a coordinated basis.''
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