Headless kangaroos spark probe

More than a dozen kangaroos have been found beheaded in the outer suburbs of the southern city of Melbourne over the past three weeks, sparking a call by wildlife officials Tuesday for more information.

The headless carcasses of 15 kangaroos have been found in the suburbs northeast of Melbourne since mid-July, but wildlife officials say they don't know who, or what, is causing the deaths.

Deb Ganderton, an official in the Nillumbik Shire, said most of the bodies had been badly decomposed or burned, and the lack of intact remains was hampering investigations into the deaths by the Royal Society for the Prevention

of Cruelty to Animals, or RSPCA, and the state parks and conservation departments.

"We need a carcass so we can take it to the RSPCA or a vet so we can find out more about the decapitations," she said. "Is it dogs, or is it someone shooting them?"

There have been no reports of gun shots near where any of the dead kangaroos have been found, the Australian Associated Press reported Tuesday. The most recent carcass was discovered last week, it said.

Twelve of the dead kangaroos were found on a local golf course, which has a kangaroo population of between 200 and 300, and three have been found along roadsides in the area.