3-Year-Old Girl Seriously Injured During 'Terrifying' Kangaroo Attack

A 3-year-old girl in Australia was airlifted to a hospital after suffering serious injuries to her head during a “terrifying” kangaroo attack.

The incident took place Thursday evening in the New South Wales northern tablelands. The attack happened when the kangaroo got on to a rear porch where the child was, on the Armidale property, The Guardian reported. The girl suffered significant lacerations to her head, back and arm.

“The young patient had suffered a number of deep lacerations, including a wound to the side of her head as a result of this attack,” Brian Lakin from NSW Ambulance said. “There is no doubt this would have been a terrifying ordeal for the little girl, who appeared to be in shock when paramedics arrived.

“This is a reminder to everyone about how unpredictable wild animals can be.”

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service airlifted the girl, who has not been identified, from Armidale Airport to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle. A critical care doctor and two paramedic road crews were sent to the scene after the incident was reported, according to 7News.

It remained unclear who was present with the girl when the incident took place.

Doctors at the hospital said the girl was currently in a stable condition after receiving treatment for her injuries.

In a similar incident, an Australian jogger was assaulted by a large kangaroo in the year 2020, while exercising in an area outside of Melbourne. The attack began with “a massive thump in the middle of my back,” which knocked her to the ground, local media reports said at the time. Tracy Noonan managed to escape by throwing rocks at the marsupial. She then took cover in a nearby shelter while she waited for the animal to leave the scene. “The kangaroo was waiting for me,” Noonan said, according to the New York Post, adding it came bounding over fences to reach her. She said the chase was like that of a “horror movie... It just kept coming and coming. I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, this kangaroo is going to kill me.’ ”

The kangaroo population in New South Wales is believed to have plummeted by more than a quarter. The annual survey estimated there were 10.5 million animals in 2020, compared to 14 million in 2019 — a decrease of 25.5%, according to ABC News.