Port Macquarie kangaroo attack: Elderly man bloodied and suffers dislocated shoulder at Apanie Rd, Lake Innes

An elderly man on the state’s Mid-North Coast was left bleeding and with a dislocated shoulder after a terrifying run-in with an aggressive kangaroo.

NSW Ambulance say the man was walking to his shed when the kangaroo attacked him.

An elderly man was left bleeding, and with a dislocated shoulder, after a surprise encounter with an aggressive kangaroo.

The 70-year-old was walking to his shed on Apanie Rd, near the busy Lake Innes Dr, just after midday on November 1 when the wild animal knocked him over and attacked him.

“The man tried to fight the animal off,” a NSW Ambulance spokesperson said.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the man on-scene before taking him to hospital.

“He sustained lacerations all over his head, arms and legs and also suffered a dislocated shoulder.”

When paramedics arrived on-scene, a witness had already wrapped towels around the wounds, which they say helped control the bleeding.

“This would’ve been a really frightening experience for the patient,” NSW Ambulance said.

“It’s as a reminder to the public that wildlife can be unpredictable.”

The elderly man was rushed to Port Macquarie Base Hospital where he remains in a stable condition.

For Australian Wildlife Needing Aid (FAWNA) president Meredith Ryan said while protective behaviour was not uncommon among wild animals, it was rare for humans to be attacked.

“In areas like Lake Innes Dr, many kangaroos have become accustomed to people, so they’re not afraid of us,” she said.

Meredith Ryan, president of FAWNA, says kangaroo attacks are rare.

“It’s not normal behaviour out in the wild but, where they’ve become habituated to people, they can tend to show aggressive traits.

“They say a kangaroo will attack a person as if they were another kangaroo, pushing off their back tails, and that’s when you get some really nasty injuries because they’re very powerful animals.”

Ms Ryan said that, while several thousand people seek medical attention annually for domestic pet attacks, fewer than five people in NSW are treated for kangaroo injuries each year.

“The risk of being attacked is very low,” she said.

“So this sounds like a ‘wrong place, wrong time’ situation.”

Ms Ryan said it’s best to avoid approaching wild animals as you never know if a male is courting or fighting another kangaroo, or if a mother is protecting her joey.

If you’re faced with a wild encounter, Ms Ryan said you should do your best to look non-threatening.

“When walking around them, it’s suggested you don’t eyeball them – and keep your arms down so you aren’t seen as a threat,” Ms Ryan said.

“You wouldn’t normally walk towards a kangaroo either, or stand up tall.”

Ms Ryan said this isn’t the first Mid-North Coast kangaroo attack, referring to a man who was injured in King Creek after a trip to his garage frightened the nearby animal.

She said there’s signs to look out for, including if a kangaroo growls or makes a clicking sound, which may indicate a potential attack.