When David Beckham arrived in the United States this summer to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy, he was the subject of a media frenzy. One detail that did not escape reporters was that the international soccer superstar chose to have his cleats -- Adidas Predators -- crafted from synthetic materials rather than the company's traditional kangaroo leather.
In progressive, animal-friendly California, Beckham's gesture resonated. Since 1970, the state has prohibited the sale of kangaroo-skin products, a bold precedent. But now Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be at the center of the debate as he decides whether to sign or veto a bill that would roll back the kangaroo protection law.
About 7 million kangaroos are brutally killed each year in Australia for pet food and leather, and 3 million of their hides are exported to supply the global commercial trade.
Although some kangaroo species are plentiful, others are threatened with extinction. The commercial hunting of kangaroos often leads to the killing of the rare "look-alike" cousins -- heightened by the nighttime slaughter and the financial incentive to "harvest" as many of the animals as possible.