After watching this video of a man punching a kangaroo to rescue his dog, I am wondering how dangerous a kangaroo is to a human on foot? I am sure that there are a lot of other things in Australia that are dangerous as well, but are kangaroos something that a person would need to worry about?
Generally speaking wildlife should not be harassed by humans, but left alone. Bites can infect you with unwanted bacteria and require stitches in a hospital.
Large animals should always be left alone because they could be possibly cause people harm. Amongst this group are kangaroos which are to be considered a real possible danger to people, especially if cornered or somehow feel threatened.
Their hind legs can disembowel opponents such as other kangaroos or other animals so they should be considered dangerous to people on foot, especially if they are approaching the animal too closely or scare it by accident.
People should not approach kangaroos on foot but stay away from them as for the same of other large wildlife.
Male kangaroos “box”, either in play, when asserting their dominance or in serious competition over females. The punching of the front legs is pretty harmless, but the powerful hind legs with their long sharp toenails are a dangerous weapon. Kangaroos can disembowel opponents, be it other kangaroos or predators like dogs.- Kangaroo Facts
Kangaroo Sign