A Gold Coast woman in her 50s has been attacked by a kangaroo at her home in Coombabah today, suffering scratches to her body.
She has been taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “That’s what it looks like, she received scratches on her body from an angry kangaroo.”
“She received multiple injuries which appeared to be minor.”
It is not yet known what led up to the attack, or if the attacker was a wallaby or a kangaroo.
Wildlife experts reckon kangaroo attacks are extremely rare, but are usually caused by people feeding them in the wild, or by ‘roos defending their territory.
A vet from Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, Dr Michael Pyne, said male ‘roos are more likely to attack people, usually when there’s a lady ‘roo to impress nearby. They’re also unlikely to attack unless people stand and face them first:
“When a kangaroo stands up they usually mean ‘bring it on’ or they’re ready for a bit of biffo.“So if you have a younger kangaroo with a bit of testosterone flowing and it is courting a woman nearby that’s generally what happens.”
Pyne advises the best way to get out of a skirmish with a kangaroo is to crouch down and face away from them. Do not, we repeat, do not do this:
Source: The Courier-Mail.
Photo: DEA / P Jacodd / Getty.
