A “really muscly” kangaroo “tried to drown” a man in Australia, after the two got into a serious fight.
The man, Don James, is said to have found himself struggling for his life as the marsupial held him down in floodwaters which had pooled on the side of the road near Port Macquarie – only escaping after the animal appeared to become unnerved.
“It’s not everyday a big, male kangaroo decides to take you on… Even in Australia, you do not expect to see it”, Kristy Lees, who saw the fight between the animal and James, told BBC.
Kristy suspects the “very distressed” kangaroo had become ensnared in the area following the record flooding that struck New South Wales this week, leaving five people dead.
Ms Lee said, the kangaroo had charged towards her car, which she had slowed to a crawl so as not to terrify the animal, and started to attack it. However, as it moved round to her side of the car, the kangaroo appeared to see another target: Mr James, who was still walking away up the road, and the Kangaroo pursued.
Ms Lee “They literally got into a boxing match. I’m looking in the rear-view mirror and they are throwing punches.”
Mr James then ran backwards and into a patch of floodwater by the side of the road after tripping and falling.
Ms Lee said, the next thing, the “kangaroo was holding him down. The kangaroo tried to drown the man. I realised what was happening and told my husband [who couldn’t see the fight from his seat] to get out the car and help.”
Perhaps by the approaching car driven by Mr James’s friend, the Kangaroo appeared unnerved, making way for Mr James to escape down towards Ms Lees.
Mr James said: “The kangaroo was trying to drown me.”
Later, he told ABC, “I just remember being under water and kicking and screaming and carrying on.”
