KEY POINTS

  • Kangaroos don't attack humans unless provoked but can inflict fatal injuries
  • The dramatic incident occurred in New South Wales, Australia
  • It wasn't known if the man or the animal suffered severe injuries in the fight

In dramatic footage that is going viral on the internet, a man was seen getting into a frenzied fight with a kangaroo and bodyslamming it after the marsupial reportedly attacked him.

The incident occurred in Ballina, New South Wales, Australia, which boasts of the largest kangaroo population among the other few countries that the marsupials inhabit. Kangaroos are less likely to attack humans unless provoked, but when they do, the injuries can also prove to be fatal.

The victim, Cliff Des, told News.com.au that he was at his home when he saw the six-foot animal charge at his dogs in his front yard on May 24. Des said as he made an attempt to shoo away the animal, it took aim at him and the melee broke out.

"It just put its claws up, stood on its back feet, and started chasing me," Des said.

The man said he then started sprinting away from the kangaroo, which can run up to 44mph, but to no avail. "I started running into my yard and next thing you know I’ve slipped over and it’s jumped on my back," he told the outlet.

Des somehow managed to have the animal retreat by swinging a stick at it. However, the trick didn't work for long as the animal snapped the stick "like a carrot" and launched a further attack.

"I was on the ground for five minutes after that, wrestling it. It tried to gouge my face, I put my head down so I gouged me on the top of my head," he told the outlet. The brawl continued for some time, with both the man and the animal dealing hard blows to each other.

Shocking footage obtained by Perth Now shows the man being pinned to the ground by the kangaroo. A dog can be seen in the footage, barking incessantly as it tries to protect its owner.

Luckily, the man managed to stand back up again and slam the kangaroo to the ground using his whole body weight. It wasn't immediately clear if the man or the kangaroo sustained any severe injuries in the fight.

Despite the horror fight with the kangaroo, Des said he admires their breed because they are Australia's icon. "They’re a beautiful creature, they’re an Australian icon … what I can take from the whole scenario is just don’t go near them," he told News.com.au.

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Representative image Credit: Pixabat / pen_ash