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https://theconversation.com/reminder-kangaroos-are-vegetarian-gladiators-with-kicks-that-can-kill-an-expert-explains-why-they-attack-190539>
"Kangaroos can be dangerous. This week a 77-year-old man tragically died in
Western Australia after an attack by a kangaroo, which was reported to be his
pet. He is believed to be the first person killed in a kangaroo attack since
1936.
Kangaroos are wild animals. It’s important to remember that while they can make
interesting pets, they have never been domesticated, so their behaviour is
driven mostly by instinct.
All kangaroos are large animals with powerful arms and massive feet. The
largest is the iconic red kangaroo, which can easily tower over a tall human.
Kangaroos use their arms, claws and feet as weapons in male-male combat, and
for self-defence against predators such as dingoes and wedge-tailed eagles.
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.
There are three species of kangaroo and all are known to attack humans: the red
kangaroo, the eastern grey kangaroo and the western grey kangaroo. I’ve studied
kangaroo behaviour since the 1970s, with a focus on human-kangaroo
interactions. Here’s a reminder of why you should do your best to keep a
respectful distance of them."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
