A three-year old girl suffered significant lacerations and head wounds after a "terrifying" kangaroo attack in the New South Wales northern tablelands. The girl was then airlifted to a hospital in Newcastle and is currently getting treatment.
The Guardian reported that the girl suffered significant lacerations to her head, back and arm after the incident at a residential street in Armidale, NSW, around 5.30pm on Thursday. The kangaroo happened to have trespassed in the property's rear porch where the child was sitting at the time, according to 9News.
"The young patient had suffered a number of deep lacerations, including a wound to the side of her head as a result of this attack," Brian Lakin from NSW Ambulance said. "There is no doubt this would have been a terrifying ordeal for the little girl, who appeared to be in shock when paramedics arrived.
Classic Kangaroo Attack
A kangaroo sits in a field amidst smoke from a bushfire in Snowy Valley on the outskirts of Cooma on January 4, 2020. - Up to 3,000 military reservists were called up to tackle Australia's relentless bushfire crisis on January 4, as tens of thousands of residents fled their homes amid catastrophic conditions.
Kangaroos may appear as placid grazing animals, but they can be aggressive towards people, according to Department of Environment and Science. Although the chances may be small, you can never risk getting too close to kangaroos.
"This is a reminder to everyone about how unpredictable wild animals can be," Lakin noted, as the toddler and her mother were airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition for further treatment.
A similar incident also reported by 9News happened to 14-year-old Jemima Song and her sister Isabel who were riding a bike on a remote farm in western Victoria when a kangaroo sprung out from the trees and into her front wheel, throwing the girl off.
Ms Song had immediately gone unconscious on the ground after the traumatic encounter. "I was on the ground lying there and she (her sister) was wondering if I was faking it or not so she tried to pick me up to see if I was okay but I wasn't," Ms Song said.
Doctors said that Ms Song is expected to make a full recovery by the end of April.
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Kangaroo-human conflict and how to avoid these situations
When caught on this occasion, land owners can take a series of actions to minimize impact in case of kangaroos wandering around their property.
Department of Environment and Science recommends landowners to: "appropriately fence property to exclude these animals (some residential areas have covenants in place to retain wildlife corridors and fencing may not be permitted); limit the animals' access to water on the property; regularly mow lawns to reduce grass cover; increase the coverage of other vegetation to reduce lawn size and grazing comfort; use deterrent products like sonic deterrents or blood and bone fertilizer; and use motion activated security lights which may deter night time grazing."
There are instances when these wild animals may appear cute and adorable, but their pattern of behavior could never be predicted as they were raised in captivity and trained to scratch, kick, and bite. These animals can be enjoyed and adored, but from a distance. If found on your porch, contact a trained wildlife rehabilitator rather than approaching the animal yourself.
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