Col, from Victoria, Australia, likened the injuries he received in the attack to what you would typically get in a "car crash"
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NEED TO KNOW
- A retired farmer from Victoria, Australia is recalling the injuries he received when he was attacked by a kangaroo
- Col told Melbourne radio station 3AW that the animal “headbutted” and “punched” him in the incident
- The man also said he was “very lucky” to be alive, likening his injuries to those typically associated with a “car crash”
An Australian man is recovering from serious injuries after being viciously attacked by a kangaroo.
Retired farmer Col was hanging out at his friend’s house when the attack took place, he told the Melbourne radio show, 3AW Drive, on Tuesday, Feb. 10. The pair heard Col's friend's dog barking. and, sensing something was wrong, went in search of the animal. They found the dog barking at a kangaroo, but weren't able to get away before the kangaroo approached.
“We drove across the paddock to the dam, and the kangaroo was standing up … leaning back on their tail trying to grab us. So I hit him with a stick, and he jumped into the dam,” said Col.
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“He just came out of the water like a bl—y rocket and headbutted me in the face and punched the c— out of me,” he recalled. “…I've gone onto my back, and when I stood up to run away, he’s given me … a roundhouse to the back and jumped on me and grabbed my head … he wouldn't let go.”
Col was seen in photos with large claw marks and bruising on his back, a bloody bandaged head, and scratches on his arms. His blood-covered shirt was also torn in the attack. Col added that the kangaroo clawed him three inches deep on both sides of the stomach.
Col said his friend “got a shovel and hit” the kangaroo, causing it to let go of him as he jumped back in the dam. He was then sent to the hospital, where he remained for six hours as his injuries were treated, per 3AW Drive.
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Col likened his injuries to those typically received in a “car crash” and said that he is “very lucky” to be alive.
“It was really quick. A lot of Injuries for probably 25 seconds of work,” he said. “I am very lucky. If I hadn’t rolled onto my stomach, I would have been in a lot worse way.”
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According to the University of Melbourne, a kangaroo may sometimes see the upright stance of humans “as a threat” and they “may lash out in self-defence if we approach.”
“An adult male kangaroo may view our stance as a serious challenge, and if large and confident, may escalate and attack,” the university added.
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