[SOC] When Kangaroos Attack

[Ian C. Purdie]

Erf, Erf...

Actually a lot truer than you think.

My present vehicle, which is an ex-police van purchased at auction and used in
a country area, has the left headlight slightly orientated to the left rather
than straight ahead. The reason?

On country roads at night death often comes in the form of a big Kangaroo
suddenly jumping in front of your car, rolling across the bonnet and through
the screen on impact. A big male in those circumstances will kick you to death
or you'll die as a result of injuries in the resulting crash.

All too true, all too often.

Kangaroos are portrayed overseas as some benign cute animal. An enraged male
can stand taller than a man, capable of disembowelling you with his powerful
hind legs. When attacked by dogs he has the sense to head for water and will
lure the dogs in where he will drown them.

Never underestimate a Kangaroo.

Did you know that a female can have a Joey in the pouch, another infant in the
same pouch attached to her teat and at the same time an unborn embryo in a
state of suspended animation? Most adult females are constantly pregnant, if
drought conditions exist they will suspend an embryo indefinitely until feed
conditions resume for the better, and then continue with the pregnancy.

Did you know that upon being born, a baby Kangaroo, the size of your little
finger nail or smaller, must alone make the perilous journey up through his
mothers fur and into the pouch and locate the teat? She will not help him.

Believe it or not

Ian

"Reicher, James" wrote:

> There are reports of a new problem in Australia. Some of the kangaroos
> have developed a thirst for revenge against the traffic that keeps
> knocking them down. Drivers have reported that they'll pass a herd of
> roos that are hopping along peacefully, but as soon as they've passed
> them, the roos suddenly change direction and veer towards the vehicle.
> The driver then has to drive as quickly as possible to escape the
> rampaging marsupials. Drivers are being urged to keep an eye on their
> veer-roo mirror at all times.