Camilla Jessen
Retired farmer survives vicious kangaroo attack
A routine visit to a friend’s property turned into a life-threatening ordeal for a retired farmer in Australia.
What unfolded over seconds left him hospitalized with injuries he says were more like a major accident than an animal encounter.
He now says he is “very lucky” to be alive.
Confrontation in paddock
Col, a retired farmer from Victoria, told Melbourne radio station 3AW Drive that the attack happened when he and a friend went looking for a barking dog.
The animal was confronting a kangaroo near a dam.
“We drove across the paddock to the dam, and the kangaroo was standing up … leaning back on their tail trying to grab us,” Col said. He told the station he struck the animal with a stick, causing it to jump into the water.
That did not end the encounter.
Sudden attack
Col said the kangaroo charged out of the dam moments later.
“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 told 3AW Drive.
He said he was knocked onto his back and tried to flee, but the animal continued attacking. “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 said.
Serious injuries
Photos taken after the incident showed deep claw marks and heavy bruising on Col’s back, scratches on his arms and a bloodied, bandaged head. His shirt was torn and soaked with blood.
Col said the kangaroo clawed him “three inches deep” on both sides of his stomach. He was eventually freed when his friend struck the animal with a shovel, causing it to retreat back into the dam.
He was taken to hospital and treated for about six hours, according to 3AW Drive.
‘Lucky’ to survive
Col compared his injuries to those from a serious crash.
“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.”
According to the University of Melbourne, kangaroos can perceive upright humans as a threat. The university says an adult male kangaroo “may view our stance as a serious challenge” and, if confident, “may escalate and attack.”
Sources: 3AW Drive, University of Melbourne, People
