Kangaroos kill 2 dogs, injure woman in Canberra

Asian Economic News, July 12, 2004

SYDNEY, July 9 Kyodo

Kangaroos in Australia's capital Canberra have killed two dogs and injured one woman in the past week as they continue to multiply in numbers and desperately seek food and water in greener pastures, The Australian newspaper reported Friday.

Last Saturday, a kangaroo held a struggling dog under water until it drowned, and on Tuesday a woman was mauled by another kangaroo, the paper said. Another dog was also killed by a kangaroo this week, it said.

Reports suggest kangaroos are becoming more aggressive, but Murray Evans, a wildlife ecologist at the government organization Environment A.C.T., disputes this, saying ''Kangaroos are wild animals and they do not get along well with dogs. If a dog chases a kangaroo and stirs it up, it will defend itself.''

The London-based World Society for the Protection of Animals also said kangaroos are not aggressive creatures, but in desperate searches for food and water come into contact with people and dogs and become defensive when approached or chased.

''The drought in Australia is having a drastic effect on wildlife in general. It is causing a lot of problems for birds, possums, fruit bats and kangaroos,'' WSPA President Hugh Wirth said. ''The animals are moving into the city because there is a water supply and greener grass.''

''The problem is not a crisis. The fact that people see kangaroos grazing on their main street nature strips is just an indication that kangaroos are hungry and cannot find food where they normally did, not a sign that they are invading city streets,'' Wirth said.

Evans released guidelines for people in Canberra, listing ways to keep kangaroos at a distance, including ''Do not let your dog chase kangaroos. Keep your dog on a leash. Give kangaroos space, they are wild animals and can be aggressive if threatened. If you find yourself close to a kangaroo, turn around and walk away.''

Other recommendations included eliminating water supplies outside the home and not leaving out food or attempting to hand-feed kangaroos.