After years of bitter legal wrangling, Californian governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has lifted a ban on imports of kangaroo leather into the state.

The new law allows the import of kangaroo products harvested from non-endangered species in Australia until 2010.

Kangaroo leather, which was first banned in the state in 1971, has become the focus of much controversy in recent years after the Australian government removed kangaroos from the endangered species list. Adidas began lobbying to remove the ban in 2003, but was met with a wave of protest from animal rights groups which has continued to this day.

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