Man vs Kangaroo: How small Aussie town became site of lethal and bloody pitched battle
MAAROOM, QUEENSLAND: A peaceful seaside community is now under the attack of kangaroos. Some residents are frightened to go out of their houses due to a kangaroo horde that is slowly gathering strength. Violent kangaroos have prompted around 220 inhabitants of Queensland's Fraser Coast to carry tools and weapons whenever they leave their homes. Some locals have even tried to drive the creatures over with their automobiles, reported Daily Mail.
Following the kangaroo attack incidents that took place the previous year, Queensland's parks and wildlife agency representatives have urged citizens to avoid the town's enormous eastern grey kangaroos. In July, a kangaroo viciously assaulted a 67-year-old Sunshine Coast lady in Maaroom. The huge animal knocked her down before striking her until a guy attacked the kangaroo with a club. Then, the kangaroo's focus shifted to him, and it chased the guy away. In addition to having a shattered femur, the woman also had teeth marks and scrapes. An individual suffered spinal injuries in a different incident in the town, while their companion sustained several wounds to the arm.
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Wildlife officials have been forced to evict several troublesome kangaroos from Maaroom due to the continuously increasing numbers, reported Daily Mail. The manager of Southern Wildlife Operations, Frank Mills, said, "Residents are advised to keep their distance from the kangaroos, to treat them with caution, and to retreat if they approach. Mills added that once locals began feeding the kangaroos, they began to intrude on the settlement in the town. In addition, families' front yards are being grazed by the creatures." "The kangaroos are moving between nearby bushland and into the residential area. At community meetings, we have received advice that some residents have been feeding the kangaroos, which can change the way the kangaroos interact with people," added Mills.
Mills also said the feud between humans and the kangaroos had escalated, with residents trying to defend themselves against the animals. "We also received information that some residents are using gel-blasters to move the kangaroos on, while others are trying to run them over in their cars. This type of behavior is not only an offense but will cause stress to the animals and bring them into conflict with other local residents, so we're advising all Maaroom residents that kangaroos can behave unpredictably and to stay away from them," concluded Mills.
According to Mark Sidaway, a nearby homeowner, the kangaroos have been eating the rapidly expanding grass over the previous two La Nina situations. "They've multiplied because we supply a Sizzler smorgasbord for them," said Mark to ABC. Several residents are scared to leave their houses because of the kangaroo invasions, according to Karen Sutcliffe, manager of Maaroom Caravan Park. "People are walking around with big sticks now. I've been wanting to go fishing of an afternoon, but I won't do that just in case a kangaroo gets me. They're just so quick you don't know where they are," said Karen.