Kanga-rue for toddler kicked by marsupial

Archer Dixon loved kangaroos – at least he did till one kicked him twice in the face.

Now, even the ‘‘Space Kangaroo’’ in his Baby Einstein Let’s Look book has the Wellington 2-year-old crying, ‘‘no’’.

Miramar mother Catherine Dixon took Archer and his twin brother Ethan to Wellington Zoo on Thursday and went to the Australian ‘‘Meet the Neighbours’’ play area.

She allowed Archer, the ‘‘gentle’’ twin, to pat the kangaroos gathered at the play area but held Ethan back because she thought he may be too rough.

As Archer worked his way through the ‘roo mob he accidentally stood on a tail.

‘‘It grabbed him. He was facing the kangaroo and it kicked him [twice] in the face.’’

Archer’s hands went up to protect his face. Fortunately the claw scratched his left eyelid and below his eye but narrowly missed the eyeball itself.

Zoo staff administered first aid and a doctor later prescribed eye drops.

‘‘Looking back at the video it could have been so much worse,’’ Dixon said. ‘‘Other parents just need to be careful.’’

She had no ill-will towards the zoo, though thought some more signs warning about the ‘roos in the play area would be helpful. She was going public with the story so other parents would be more careful.

Wellington Zoo chief executive Karen Fifield said the eastern grey kangaroos in the area were relatively young and, having come from a walk-through area in an Australian zoo, were used to people.

This was the first incident of its type since the area opened about two years ago. ‘‘They are very relaxed and very calm – they are not like wild kangaroos.’’ The ‘roo had clearly reacted to having its tail stepped on, she said.