Kangaroo attack puts man, 80, in hospital
AUSTRALIA: A kangaroo ‘‘in a bad mood’’ has left a man in hospital on the New South Wales South Coast, after attacking the 80-year-old on Thursday.
Paramedics treated the man about 10.45am in Bendalong for multiple cuts to his lower legs suffered during the attack, including ‘‘one-and-a-half-inch lacerations below the knee’’.
Paramedic Rob Hilliar said the man fed the local roos each morning and one had become particularly aggressive.
‘‘He’s a lovely bloke who spoils them a little, feeding them jam and cream on toast,’’ Hilliar said.
‘‘On this occasion one of the roos was in a bad mood and pushed him over.’’
A spokesman for NSW Ambulance said, while he had not heard of any other recent incidents of kangaroos attacking people, anecdotally the animals were known to be aggressive at times, especially during the mating season.
He said this particular roo was unharmed in the incident, watching on ‘‘presumably in amusement’’ as paramedics treated the man before hopping off.
‘‘The bloke came off second best,’’ he said. ‘‘But maybe aside from his pride, he seems to be doing OK.’’
In the past three months, NSW Ambulance said paramedics had attended 38 incidents involving kangaroos, three with wombats and two involving possums, though the incidents largely involved collisions with cars.
NSW Parks and Wildlife warns people against feeding kangaroos on its website.
‘‘When kangaroos and wallabies become used to being hand-fed, they sometimes attack people in their quest for food. Remember, they have sharp claws and a strong kick.’’ – Fairfax