This is why kangaroos have begun attacking tourists for carrots
A group of kangaroos at a popular tourist area in New South Wales are attacking tourists for their food and causing significant injuries.
Shane Lewis, a tourist shuttle bus operator who transports people from the Morisset train station to the Morisset hospital, a destination that boasts a notoriously large population of kangaroos, has begun documenting the assaults.
“There are people getting kicked and scratched at least every day,” Shane told ABC News. “A girl has a large cut going down her face… One lady got 17 stitches in her face from her eye to her chin.”
According to Shane, too many tourists are offering the kangaroos food and now they’ve become addicted and more vicious.
“The kangaroos see at least 2,000 tourists a week, and they don’t need 2,000 carrots or bananas and bread, chips and biscuits,” he said.
“I’ve even seen some silly people feeding them McDonald’s, KFC, corn chips, oats, and there are some foods they are very aggressive for.”
Shane has made it his duty to inform people of the kangaroos’ aggressive behaviours, often showing them photos of attacks.
“Once I show them the photos, they usually pull their kids away and put their food away when they know what can actually happen,” he said.
“There was a guy who got his stomach gashed open, and he wasn’t even feeding them, but … they’d been to McDonald’s 10 minutes before, so whether they still had the food smell on them, I have no idea, but for some reason, the kangaroo took to him.”
Carrots may seem healthy but experts have warned that for kangaroos, the vegetable is equal to a chocolate bar.
Feeding kangaroos processed foods or foods high in sugar not only changes their behaviours but has devastating effects on their health.
At this point in time, local MPs and authorities believe that increased signage and better education around the feeding of kangaroos will help.
