Move away as slowly as possible to a safe place. Give a short, deep cough; avoid eye contact; bow your head; and keep your arms close to your body as you move away. This will make you appear smaller and less of a threat to the kangaroo. Do not turn your back on the animal or run.
If a kangaroo attacks, keep an eye on it and get away as quickly as possible while keeping low in a crouch, because the kangaroo is less likely to give chase. If the attack persists and you can't escape, drop down low, curl into a ball, protect your head with your arms and call for help.
An obvious way of controlling kangaroos is to install plants that are not attractive to them. These might be prickly, strongly scented, or boast hairy or sticky leaves. Woody plants, too, do not seem to make up their diet, as they are difficult to eat.
In case a kangaroo inevitably jumps in front of your vehicle, it is best to just brake heavily instead of trying to swerve to avoid them. The best advice is to just slow down and try braking in a straight line. You should only try swerving once your vehicle has slowed down sufficiently.
People can be killed by a kangaroo kick, but it does not happen in practice. However, fights with kangaroos in rare cases lead to life-threatening injuries in humans. Without treatment, a kangaroo kick can be fatal. Occasionally, fights between kangaroos can also be fatal for one of the animals.
“An eastern grey that we know was killed in a fight. And they all have scars, scratches and tears – it's quite full-on when it happens,” he says. Kangaroos are protected native animals in Australia. Under federal conservation laws, it is an offence to harm them or keep them as pets.
In a battle royale for Most Powerful Animal, a red kangaroo might take the martial-arts belt, thanks to a bone-shattering kick that delivers 759 pounds of force. Evolution has nudged wild creatures to hone their blows, bites, and brute strength for survival.
Raise your hands and lean your head away from the animal to minimize the chances of being scratched across the face by the kangaroo's nasty claws. Retreat, but do not turn your back and run. A kangaroo can easily chase you down, kicking as it hops.
Is hitting a kangaroo an 'at fault' accident? No, it is not considered an at fault accident.
5% of road accidents involve collisions with animals, and a staggering 80% to 90% of those are with kangaroos. It's a tragic and upsetting situation to suddenly find yourself in, but for those travelling on outback roads, it's very common. Review the information below so you know what to do should you ever hit a 'roo.
#3 You need to rely mainly on 'unpalatable' plants.
Plants with oily or fragrant foliage. Plants with high oil content (including some which have fragrant foliage) include species of Eremophila, Prostanthera, Westringia, Eriostemon, and Myoporum appear almost totally unpalatable to 'roos.
Kangaroos fear sound of own feet.
Don't go near male kangaroos that are sparring, fighting or showing off their size and strength to each other. Don't go near a kangaroo that is growling or clucking. Don't move between a female and her joey.
Indeed, a pet kangaroo may perceive its human owner as a rival kangaroo or a potential predator, or perhaps both. As a result, kangaroos sometimes attack people, causing nasty and even fatal injuries.
Stay alert and expect the unexpected. Brake safely – Apply your brakes in a careful, controlled manner. Leave space and pass with care when it is safe to do so. Don't swerve – Take great care if you manoeuvre to avoid an animal.
A kangaroo would win a fight against a human being.
This will inflict devastating wounds on a human being or even disembowel them. Without weapons and armor, humans are fragile to these wild animals. Meanwhile, humans would have to attack the kangaroo's head.
Kangaroo attacks in Australia are rare because kangaroos are usually docile; however, they can attack when provoked or cornered, and they have been known to kill dogs. Very occasionally they can attack even if not provoked.
Ian Temby, who spent 33 years with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, said kangaroo attacks are rare, but could be fatal in some circumstances. "If you're standing up, the kangaroo can kick you with its hind feet and that can pretty much rip you open," he said. "That's extremely dangerous."
Kangaroos hiss and growl when alarmed, females make clicking noises to communicate with their offspring, and males 'chuckle' during courtship!
Big claws on the feet, and huge muscles in the legs ensure that the kick is painful and damaging. Male kangaroos have thickened skin around their bellies to protect themselves from this, and they can take hundreds of kicks in the course of a fight. A few kicks like this would be sufficient to disembowel a human.
Contrary to popular belief, kangaroos don't normally try to box, or punch, each other, says Festa-Bianchet. Instead, they prefer to balance on their strong tails and kick with their powerful back legs.
Kangaroos are normally gentle creatures who will only attack if provoked or if their young are in danger. However, they have powerful hind legs, and deadly claws that can inflict permanent damage. Therefore, kangaroos can be incredibly dangerous.