Raging 7ft-tall kangaroo puts farmer in a headlock during vicious attack after knocking him off his motorbike

By Daily Mail Australia Reporter

Published: 16:31 BST, 5 October 2023 | Updated: 16:31 BST, 5 October 2023

A raging 7ft (2.1-metre) kangaroo put a farmer in a headlock after dragging him off his motorbike.

Brian O’Donnell, from St Arnaud in country Victoria, was riding his Honda across his farmland to check on a cow that was due to give birth when he noticed the massive marsupial stalking him.

Instead of hopping away – as most kangaroos would – the creature ‘started growling and jumping up and down’, Mr O’Donnell, 74, told the ABC.

Brian O’Donnell, from St Arnaud in country Victoria, was riding his Honda across his farmland to check on a cow that was due to give birth when he noticed the massive marsupial stalking him

The kangaroo left Mr O’Donnell with nasty scratches on his neck and back

‘Next thing I know he was on top of me.’

The farmer said the kangaroo put him in a headlock and tore at his clothing, leaving with him gashes on his neck and back.

‘He had his top paws right around my back. We were almost headbutting each other,’ he said.

‘I just kept punching him until he let me go and [the kangaroo] jumped away, about 15 metres.’

Mr O’Donnell scrambled back onto his motorbike as the kangaroo charged again, with the farmer narrowly making an escape.

Kangaroos do not normally attack and it is possible the roo in question mistook Mr O’Donnell’s actions as a threat (file picture)

His wife, Sue, was enjoying a glass of wine when Mr O’Donnell returned covered in cuts and bruises.

She took him to a local medical centre for stitches and to be treated with antibiotics.

Kangaroos do not normally attack and it is possible the roo in question mistook Mr O’Donnell’s actions as a threat.

The cow the farmer was checking on is still yet to give birth.

WHY KANGAROOS ATTACK

Kangaroos are mostly docile creatures, and interactions with humans are infrequent.

They can be unpredictable when they feel they are threatened, or that their territory is being encroached on – whether by a human or another animal.

Fewer than five people each year seek treatment for kangaroo attacks in NSW.

The most common reasons for a kangaroo to attack a human are:

They see the person as a threat or a sparring opponent. They often will try to protect their group or offspring.
The kangaroo has lost its instinctive fear of humans – generally as a result of humans feeding or handling it from a young age.
The kangaroo is in an unfamiliar terrain or has recently moved habitats. Natural disasters like drought and fires can force a kangaroo out of its home and closer to roads and walking trails to seek out food and water, which poses a threat.

When a kangaroo attacks a person, the will generally do so in a similar matter to fighting another kangaroo, using their paws to push or ‘grapple’ the opponent to the ground.

How to avoid threatening a kangaroo:

Do not walk directly toward the kangaroo.

Do not stand up tall, stare or hold your arms out towards a kangaroo.

Do not go near male kangaroos that are sparring, fighting or showing off their size and strength to each other.

Do not move between a female and her joey.

Do not allow your dog to approach a kangaroo. Kangaroos will vigorously defend themselves against dogs, and this may draw you into a dangerous situation.

Source: NSW Office of Environment and Heritage

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