China urged not to eat kangaroo meat

       The father of dead Australian conservationist Steve Irwin urged China yesterday not to start importing kangaroo meat, warning it could wipe out huge stocks of the animal.
       Bob Irwin made his plea after Australia's kangaroo industry began courting the giant Asian market in the wake of Russia's move to bar imports.
       "We wouldn't eat your pandas, so please don't eat our kangaroos. Come and see them," Mr Irwin said.
       Mr Irwin, whose "Crocodile Hunter"son was killed in a freak stingray accident in 2006, said kangaroos held more value as a tourist attraction than as meat with the country's stocks now "critical".
       "The Chinese are one of our biggest visitors and kangaroos are one of their favourite attractions. If they were to start eating kangaroos, we predict that within a few years there won't be any left in the wild for them to see," he said.