Kangaroo Mob Terrorizes Australian Town, 220 Residents Fight Back Wielding Sticks

An Australian small town has been overrun by a kangaroo mob, which has been attacking locals and having left one woman with a leg injury. The 220 residents raised weapons in retaliation.

The 220 residents of Maaroom, which is 150 miles to the north of Brisbane, carry sticks as weapons when they leave the house because there are so many kangaroos there.

Many people are afraid to stroll through the town for fear of being attacked.

Karen Sutcliffe, the manager for Caravan Park, said that It's impossible to count them all.

They're constantly hopping between the caravans in the park. Sutcliffe has been wishing to go fishing for a while, but I won't because I don't want to risk losing her to a kangaroo.

Kangaroos

Kangaroos are native to Australia and typically pose no threat to people, avoiding them when they come into contact with them. Deaths are incredibly uncommon, as are attacks. There has only ever been one documented fatal kangaroo attack, which took place in New South Wales in 1936.

According to Frank Mills, manager of Southern Wildlife Operations - Department of Environment and Science for Queensland, most kangaroo attacks on people are typically carried out by territorial males or as a part of a male's mating display.

However, the infestation in Maaroom is unique because mother kangaroos have been the main problem for the locals.

Mill said that These problems have all involved female kangaroos that are carrying a joey at the time.

A mother kangaroo attacked a 67-year-old woman in Maaroom in late July, leaving her with a broken femur, numerous scratches, and bite marks.

Will Bite for Grass

Kangaroos have been congregating on the lawns of town residents, who are believed to be giving them an abundance of food.

Mills said that His team has recorded between 60 and 80 kangaroos almost every day within the town itself, although the nearby forests couldn't sustain that many kangaroos. The kangaroos are relocating between the nearby bushland and the residential area.

Because of the recent wet season's abundant growth of grass and other vegetation, along with the abundance of joeys that were born there, the town made an excellent nursery.

Mark Sidaway, a Maaroom resident, said that La Nina, which occurred the past two years, caused the region to receive significantly more rain and created ideal conditions for grass growth. The locals took excellent care of our lawns during this time. Because we give the kangaroos a Sizzler smorgasbord, they have multiplied.

The fact that locals started feeding the kangaroos may have also encouraged them to remain.

At community gatherings, residents have been told that some have been giving food to the kangaroos, which can alter how they interact with people, according to Mills.

Residents of Maaroom have been urged not to harm the kangaroos because doing so will only make the issue worse and make them hostile toward other residents of the town.

According to the Fraser Coast Regional Council website, people who are attacked by kangaroos should roll into a ball or cover their face and head with their arms to prevent scratches, Newsweek reports.