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   Gracchus ☕️🏴‍☠️🇺🇳 (gracchus@aus.social)'s status on Wednesday, 25-Dec-2024 06:48:43 JST Gracchus ☕️🏴‍☠️🇺🇳

   So this happened to me today while on a Xmas eve Bushwalk.

   I was 6km into a walk and decided to sit down on a rock at the crest of a hill and have a coffee while looking over the valley below, and enjoying the late afternoon sun, soon a Kangaroo comes bounding up from below, getting closer and closer, I'm thinking shit he hasn't seen me. He was about 3 meters away when he did and he craps himself, then launched at me feet first and knocked me backwards, next thing I know he was on top of me kicking and scratching. I threw him off and rolled to get away then he kicked me in the back and sent me flying, I grabbed my daypack and got it between us, which to be honest just pissed him off and he promptly ripped it out of my grasp. I managed to get to a tree a few metres away, while he’s kicking away, then we spent the next 5 minutes with him chasing me around it and me trying to keep it between us, all while he was making a cross between a growl and bark noise while doing the skippy tongue clicking. A couple of times he bounded away and I thought it was over only for him to stop and I swear I could see him thinking “nah stuff that” and he would come hurtling back for another crack at me, eventually he left with a few stops and glances back as if to say “you wants some more mate?”
   Here’s the funny bit, when he was on top of me he smashed my clip belt and I was wearing my hiking pants that had lost it’s top button, but I hadn’t got around to sewing it back on, so as I'm running round the tree my pants kept falling down around my ankles and every time I tried to pull them up it gave him an opening to launch another attack, all while the Benny Hill tune was running through my head. All I could think was if he kills me how will this be explained to my family.
   Anyway I survived, some long scratches on arms, legs and back, one scratch close to my left eye and three huge bruises on my chest, side and back in the shape of a kangaroos footpad. No broken bones, slight concussion and a 2km hike/limp back to car armed with a big stick, luckily I made it before the adrenaline wore off and the aches and pains showed up, I admit it was terrifying and Those claws are quite scary up close. I have a new found respect and wariness for them now.
   Getting pantsed by a kangaroo was not on my Xmas list.
   Still not as bad as the year I got shingles for Xmas. 😂

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     Gracchus ☕️🏴‍☠️🇺🇳 (gracchus@aus.social)'s status on Wednesday, 25-Dec-2024 07:58:27 JST Gracchus ☕️🏴‍☠️🇺🇳

     in reply to

     It’s Xmas day here in Oz and just to follow up on yesterdays Man Vs Roo.
     Sore today but not too bad, a few more aches came out overnight, I hadn’t realised I rolled my ankle as well. Wondering if I can use it as an excuse to get out of visiting the in-laws today 😁
     Just to add to any questions.
     My fault entirely, I should have made it aware of my presence earlier and it would most likely have gone around me. I see and walk through mobs of kangaroos on most walks in the hills around Melbourne and have never had an issues apart from being stared at, which can be disconcerting. I think I was to relaxed around them as when I was a kid we raised a Joey for 3 months and was one of our most fun orphans.
     It was an eastern grey and luckily it was only a teenage male so stood about 3 feet, but when it was up on its tail kicking it was closer to 5. If it was one of the big males in full rut I think it would have slaughtered me.
     YES the Benny Hill theme was going through my head at the time (just how my mind works)
     Not sure what my reaction will be next time I encounter some, but pretty sure I’ll be right.
     To all the foreign tourists who have ever been attacked by one, my apologies for all the times I have said you would have to be an idiot for that to happen 🥺
     If they ever put that scene in a movie or comedy show about Australian , nobody would believe it.
     I’ll try and respond to all the comments but might take some time.
     Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all. 🎄🦘

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     Klara (klara@fosstodon.org)'s status on Thursday, 26-Dec-2024 17:05:27 JST Klara

     • Rocketman

     @slothrop @Gracchus
     Wild boar can be as dangerous
     even if you can sometimes just walk between them. They'll avoid you too if they hear you, but when they attack they are very fast, with their very long sharp teeth they gut you at the first try. The trick with keeping a tree in between is the only defence I know of.