The public is being urged to be extremely cautious around kangaroos after a giant roo seriously injured a man in Queensland’s gemfields.
The man, in his 50s, was walking to his car at Willows near Emerald, 300 kilometres west of Rockhampton, when a large kangaroo attacked.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson said the man suffered severe wounds to his chest and deep lacerations to his arms. He was taken to Emerald Hospital then flown to Rockhampton Hospital where he was in a stable condition.
Willows Rural Fire Brigade first officer in charge, Rick Underhill, told the ABC the attack left the man, who had just walked out the front door of his home, in ‘a hell of a mess’.
Peopel are warned to be cautious around kangaroos. PIC: Wild Shots By Irina / Pexels
“He came out of his house, walked around to get into his ute to drive up to the shop and there was a buck [male kangaroo] and doe [female kangaroo] there and the doe took off and the buck bloody attacked him and really attacked him in a big way,” Mr Underhill said.
The aggressive roo was estimated to be two metres tall.
There are now public warnings in place for two large male kangaroos in Willows that may pose a danger.
“Normally, the kangaroos in town here are quite pleasant and people feed them and think they’re wonderful,” Mr Underhill told the ABC. “These roos have been around here for years and we’ve never had a problem before but, unfortunately, these two big bucks have taken it in their heads to attack people.”
Mr Underhill told the Guardian newspaper that the community was terrified because, when wild animals attack humans, they could strike again.
“Stay at home and don’t go out,” he warned. “A lot of elderly people live in this little community, and they like to go and walk their dogs in the morning … and that’s just asking for trouble.”
Mr Underhill told the Guardian he was also concerned tourists in the area wouldn’t see kangaroos as a threat, adding they were ‘liable to bloody turn on you at any time, particularly around this time of year’.
The Queensland Government warns on its website that many people still see large male kangaroos as placid grazing animals.
“The reality is that they can be aggressive towards people,” it said. “Although the risk of this happening is very small, we still need to be wary around them.”
Although serious kangaroo attacks are relatively rare, they do happen … and they do happen to grey nomads. In 2023, grey nomad Graham Power pulled up at a quiet caravan park on the edge of Lake Wyangala near the NSW town of Cowra. He was looking forward to a peaceful stay … but a giant buck kangaroo had other ideas! Graham tells his story here.
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A few years back at Buchan Caves campground we watched an idiot boxing a 6ft tall male Grey Kangaroo.
Simply, if it is a wild animal/bird etc its a threat. Treat it with respect..
It will all be about testosterone. The males attack because they have roo-ting on their mind.
They see humans as the rival.
The article mentions, ‘ at this time ‘.
Best advice, as in the snake breeding time, is to be vigilant at this breeding season and keep well out of their way.
They are not focussed on feeding passively at this time …they have Heaven on their mind!
Well said!
Yep, we live in Australia. for those of us that were lucky to grow up on the Land, we know exactly how it works.
Feeding them can cause this problem in my opinion.
We never ever feed them.
I live with 100s of kangaroos on my land – as do my camping
And caravanning and tour guests. The bucks are seriously huge animals and yes you can drive and walk right up to them.
While I don’t discount an attack would never happen there hasn’t been one here to my knowledge. Same with emus, never feed them or leave food out where they can get it.