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Lawmakers Attempt to Undo Kangaroo Leather and Mink Fur Bans
IUCN Specialist Groups Accused of Conflicts of Interest with Fashion Industry
Mar. 30, 2026 at 3:48am
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As animal advocacy groups celebrate victories in banning kangaroo leather and mink fur, Republican lawmakers in California are trying to undo these protections. Meanwhile, an investigation has uncovered alleged conflicts of interest between the IUCN's Crocodile and Snake Specialist Groups and the luxury fashion industry that uses their skins.
Why it matters
The battle over kangaroo, mink, and reptile skins highlights the ongoing tension between animal welfare and the commercial exploitation of wildlife. California has historically led the nation in rejecting the trade in endangered species, but industry groups are now pushing to overturn these protections. The IUCN's role in this debate is also under scrutiny, with allegations that its specialist groups are too closely tied to the fashion brands profiting from the skin trade.
The details
In California, Republican state senator Brian W. Jones has introduced a bill, SB 1212, that would exempt kangaroos from the state's ban on the sale of wildlife parts and products. This would reopen California to the commercial trade in kangaroo skins and meat, despite concerns from animal advocates that the kangaroo hunt is a 'heinous act of cruelty.' Meanwhile, at the federal level, the House Farm Bill threatens to repeal a 1995 law that stopped taxpayer subsidies for the U.S. mink export industry. On the global front, an investigation by Collective Fashion Justice has uncovered alleged conflicts of interest within the IUCN's Crocodile and Snake Specialist Groups. The chair of the Crocodile Specialist Group, Grahame Webb, also owns a large crocodile factory farm that supplies skins to luxury brands like Hermès and Louis Vuitton. The chair of the Snake Specialist Group, Daniel Natusch, has a paid partnership with Louis Vuitton, which uses a large amount of snake skin. Collective Fashion Justice is calling for greater transparency and independence within the IUCN's specialist groups to ensure their recommendations are not unduly influenced by commercial interests.
- In 2015, a nearly identical effort to undo California's kangaroo product ban was pushed through the legislature at the last minute.
- In 2016, California's long-standing ban on selling kangaroo products, first enacted in 1971, was fully restored.
The players
Brian W. Jones
A Republican state senator from San Diego who has introduced a bill, SB 1212, that would exempt kangaroos from California's ban on the sale of wildlife parts and products.
Judie Mancuso
A lobbyist for Social Compassion In Legislation who has warned that 'animal exploiters are at it again, trying to sell kangaroo body parts in California.'
Wayne Pacelle
The president of Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Humane Economy, who has celebrated the decision by major athletic brands to stop using kangaroo leather for soccer shoes.
Grahame Webb
The owner of one of Australia's largest crocodile factory farms, Crocodylus Park, who is also the chair of the IUCN's Crocodile Specialist Group.
Daniel Natusch
The chair of the IUCN's Snake Specialist Group, who has a paid partnership with Louis Vuitton, a major user of snake skin.
What they’re saying
“'Kangaroos are shot in the wild, often at night, in a commercial hunt that is a heinous act of cruelty. Even the Australian government's own code of practice acknowledges that not all kangaroos are killed instantly and requires that dependent young be killed when their mothers are shot.'”
— Judie Mancuso, Lobbyist, Social Compassion In Legislation
“'As the year turned to 2026, Adidas, ASICS, and New Balance officially stopped the use of kangaroo skins for soccer shoes, joining Nike, Puma, and other global athletic company brands' targeted by an international Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign.'”
— Wayne Pacelle, President, Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Humane Economy
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
This case highlights the ongoing tension between animal welfare and commercial exploitation of wildlife, as well as concerns about conflicts of interest within the IUCN's specialist groups that may be unduly influenced by the fashion industry's use of exotic animal skins.
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