Humans behaving badly to kangaroos
October 7, 2024 5:31 PM Subscribe
Dozens of kangaroos have set up home in a residential area south of Newcastle (Australia) attracting a wave of badly-behaved human tourists.
Don't feed wild kangaroos. Feeding wild kangaroos leads to kangaroo vs human conflict when the kangaroos get used to it, and approach humans who either don't have any food or won't give it to them.
Don't feed kangaroos fried chicken.
And for the love of all that is holy, don't try to take a baby kangaroo (joey) out of its mother's pouch and put it in a bag! Do you WANT to get kicked?
"I've seen tourists previously pull up to try and grab hold of joeys...put a joey in a bag while I was watching."
And for the love of all that is holy, don't try to take a baby kangaroo (joey) out of its mother's pouch and put it in a bag! Do you WANT to get kicked?
"I've seen tourists previously pull up to try and grab hold of joeys...put a joey in a bag while I was watching."
If you want to legally feed or pet kangaroos (here are some clips of me doing so) you can do it at the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Tasmania.
I guess they aren't under food stress so they don't have a reason to get aggressive. The way it is set up is more that the kangaroos are tourists visiting the humans, the kangaroos have their own large paddock with food and water, there is a fence they can hop over to the "human" side to get some social interaction and once they get bored they hop back over to their side.
posted by xdvesper at 6:23 PM on October 7 [4 favorites]
I guess they aren't under food stress so they don't have a reason to get aggressive. The way it is set up is more that the kangaroos are tourists visiting the humans, the kangaroos have their own large paddock with food and water, there is a fence they can hop over to the "human" side to get some social interaction and once they get bored they hop back over to their side.
posted by xdvesper at 6:23 PM on October 7 [4 favorites]
There was a population of wild silvered leaf monkeys in Malaysia that were pretty cool to interact with. I went once with just my camera, the adults are black and silver while the babies are golden. They mainly eat leaves. The adults were just happy to observe but the babies would come and climb all over you. Holding hands with one of them was a bit like a first contact experience - other animals can only lick or paw or nuzzle you, but holding a warm, soft, 5 fingered hand - which can grasp, caress, or pat you, felt astonishingly human. Also it was surprising the parents of the babies were so unconcerned and happy to observe. This is a photo I took of one of the babies.
Anyway the point of this story is that I've heard in the years since people also started feeding them and they got aggressive so you wouldn't be able to interact with them this way in the wild anymore, since they see humans as being food sources now. I passed by the area recently and witnessed someone holding a handbag getting chased by an adult silvered leaf monkey!
posted by xdvesper at 6:40 PM on October 7 [6 favorites]
Anyway the point of this story is that I've heard in the years since people also started feeding them and they got aggressive so you wouldn't be able to interact with them this way in the wild anymore, since they see humans as being food sources now. I passed by the area recently and witnessed someone holding a handbag getting chased by an adult silvered leaf monkey!
posted by xdvesper at 6:40 PM on October 7 [6 favorites]
I don’t understand how cavalier people are around wild animals. I mean, I’m careful with my cats for fear of accidentally hurting them or the other way around. They are a fraction of my size! Kangaroos are about my size, and being wild animals, I don’t know their preferences, personalities, or likely reactions. Why would I mess around with them?
On the other hand, people around the world mess around with much bigger animals (and die); maybe I’m missing something.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:43 AM on October 8 [1 favorite]
On the other hand, people around the world mess around with much bigger animals (and die); maybe I’m missing something.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:43 AM on October 8 [1 favorite]
Tourists ruin so many of the things they come to experience... it makes me both sad and mad.
posted by Too-Ticky at 5:11 AM on October 8 [3 favorites]
posted by Too-Ticky at 5:11 AM on October 8 [3 favorites]
I don’t understand how cavalier people are around wild animals. I mean, I’m careful with my cats for fear of accidentally hurting them or the other way around. They are a fraction of my size! Kangaroos are about my size, and being wild animals, I don’t know their preferences, personalities, or likely reactions. Why would I mess around with them?
Far too many people think "soft and fuzzy = harmless teddybear."
Right up until the animal feels threatened and acts in self defence to protect itself or escape, at which point people say
"it attacked me, it's dangerous, kill it!"
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 6:57 AM on October 8 [3 favorites]
Far too many people think "soft and fuzzy = harmless teddybear."
Right up until the animal feels threatened and acts in self defence to protect itself or escape, at which point people say
"it attacked me, it's dangerous, kill it!"
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 6:57 AM on October 8 [3 favorites]
Which is to say: while kangaroos usually won't harm you unless they feel threatened by you or your dog,
that doesn't mean that people should mess with them!
Wild kangaroos very rarely attack people, but when they do, they have a powerful kick and sharp claws and they can do serious damage - broken bones, even death.
I've walked through very large groups of kangaroos in National Parks, and it's a good idea to walk slowly, talk quietly if at all, and give them as much personal space as possible.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 6:59 AM on October 8 [2 favorites]
that doesn't mean that people should mess with them!
Wild kangaroos very rarely attack people, but when they do, they have a powerful kick and sharp claws and they can do serious damage - broken bones, even death.
I've walked through very large groups of kangaroos in National Parks, and it's a good idea to walk slowly, talk quietly if at all, and give them as much personal space as possible.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 6:59 AM on October 8 [2 favorites]
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries
User name checks out.
Similarly, my area which is suburban has an active black bear population and my neighborhood has a lot of oak trees. Every fall, I have to tell myidiot well-intentioned neighbors to stay the hell away from them, especially when there's a mom and cubs.
posted by plinth at 8:16 AM on October 8 [3 favorites]
User name checks out.
Similarly, my area which is suburban has an active black bear population and my neighborhood has a lot of oak trees. Every fall, I have to tell my
posted by plinth at 8:16 AM on October 8 [3 favorites]
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