Originally, kangaroos were from South America, but after the continents split away and shifted to their current locations, their new home became Australia. Unless you live in Australia, you are unlikely to come across a kangaroo except for seeing one at a zoo or something.
Still, even if you do not live in Australia or have no intention of visiting, It is important to know that these animals are not ones you want to take lightly.
In this article, we will discover if kangaroos are attracted to headlights and if they could cause a problem for drivers on the road.
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Are Kangaroos Attracted to Car Headlights?
Kangaroos are not inherently attracted to car headlights or lights. During dawn, dusk, and nighttime is when the Kangaroos are the most active.
If you are traveling at night on the road, then the headlights are a full blast. Consider those bright lights flashing right into your face. It will temporarily blind you, which is what happens to kangaroos.
They are simply trying to make their way around at night. What they have is the unfortunate luck of crossing the road at the same time a car with some bright lights is driving down the same road.
Do Kangaroos Attack Cars?
Kangaroos do not inherently attack cars similar to them not being attracted to car headlights or lights. What happens is a kangaroo is looking for food because they are nocturnal animals. Due to low visibility at night for humans and the blinding light of a car when a kangaroo jumps into the path of the headlights, you have what is a deadly combination.
They are not attacking cars and avoid them mostly during the day. At night, it’s just more difficult to do so, which is why these car accidents happen.
What are Kangaroos Attracted to?
While kangaroos are not attracted to headlights, there are things they are attracted to that will draw their attention. These things include fertilized grass, large shade trees, other plants like hollies, Australian eucalyptus trees, and syngonium.
Chances are if you have a nicely mowed lawn, big trees, or any of these plants above, then you could end up attracting a kangaroo onto your property.
Assuming you want to avoid them, just consider keeping these things to a minimum. Nothing wrong with kangaroos but have you seen how jacked some males can get? It is best to avoid them if you can help it.
What to do if a Kangaroo Jumps in Front of a Car?
There are several things you can do if a kangaroo jumps in front of your car. This includes:
· Avoid driving or limit driving at dawn, dusk, and night. This is especially true when the area has a lot of kangaroos.
· If they jump out right in front of the car, try to break heavily rather than swerving, which can cause more damage to you and your car.
· Should there be enough distance between you and the kangaroo who has jumped in front of your car, slow down. This could give the kangaroo a chance to hop off.
· You can install a kangaroo whistle to deter the kangaroo, but experts say it is unlikely that they work so it’s unlikely this would even help.
By adhering to all these suggestions, you can minimize the chance of getting seriously hurt if a kangaroo jumps in front of your car.
Why do Kangaroos Jump in Front of Cars at Night?
The reason for kangaroos jumping in front of cars is because they are simply traveling at night, trying to look for food. It is difficult for them to see because of the headlights so when they jump out in front of a car; they are momentarily stunned by the bright headlines coming from the car.
Another reason is that a kangaroo can’t jump backwards, believe it or not. They can only go backwards, so if they do jump in front of a car, they have no other way to go but forward.
Kangaroos are not jumping in front of cars on purpose or anything. These animals are just trying to go about their day and look for food. Unfortunately, they have to navigate a world full of humans and their cars to do so.
What Happens When You Hit a Kangaroo With a Car?
Cars are formidable creations, and kangaroos are formidable animals in their own right. If you hit a kangaroo with your car, chances are the kangaroo is not going to just up and walk away. They are going to die or be severely injured.
Your car is going to get pretty banged up. The headlight, radiator, windshield, or the side of the car are all things that can get destroyed. It could cost you up to 5000 dollars to fix your car and that is if it is.
Mostly, come out of the wreck unscathed or with minor injuries because of how durable cars are made nowadays. Obviously, in rare cases you could be seriously injured but it is unlikely that you will be.
How do You Scare off a Kangaroo?
Now, if you ever come across a kangaroo in the wild or in your daily life, there are things you can do to increase your chances of coming out unharmed. These include:
· Keep your distance if you come across one and hold up a large tree branch if possible. Should they start to approach, turn to the side, and also turn your head away. Protect your face with your hands as one would say during a bear attack.
· If the attacker is a male kangaroo and looks like it is trying to appear dominant, you want to appear submissive. You can do this by crouching low and not making eye contact. Letting out a low cough or grunt is another way to make a male kangaroo feel you are submitting to them.
· Should you find yourself getting attacked by one, curl up in a ball and protect your face, heads, and organs as best you can.
The one thing you do not want to ever do is run. Trust us when we say that the kangaroo will catch you and when they do, expect kicks and possibly wounds from their sharp claws, which are very powerful in their own right.
Can a Kangaroo Hurt a Human?
Have you ever seen how jacked a kangaroo is? Well, that should be enough of an answer. These animals absolutely can hurt humans and could kill them as well. If there was a fight between a kangaroo and a human, the winner is, without a doubt, a kangaroo.
One reason a human could be injured from a kangaroo attack is because of their kick for one. They have a very powerful kick and if they deliver ones from their legs; you are going to end up seriously hurt.
Second, they have very dangerous and sharp claws that let them disembowel animals. Think you can survive those sharp claws to your stomach? Well, think again! Third, they are quick and would catch you in a heartbeat. There is no way you have a chance of outrunning one.
Do Kangaroos Have Any Predators?
Because of the sheer size of a kangaroo, they face very few natural predators. The only natural predators they could even have a chance of facing are humans (especially if they have a car or some kind of weapon, like a gun) and dingoes and wild dogs.
Still, these two are not big threats to kangaroos. The things that are a bigger threat to kangaroos are things like heat, hunger, and drought because their habitats are literally vanishing. Climate change can mostly or entirely be blamed for a kangaroo’s habitat vanishing before their very eyes.
So, while humans and dingoes could cause some harm to a kangaroo, it is unlikely they will even cause much of a dent in their overall population like climate change will. The best thing we can do is try to preserve the habitats that they already have and stop them from vanishing or put kangaroos into wildlife reserves.
Final Thoughts
We’ve finally reached the end, and you have realized that kangaroos are not attracted to headlights! If they do seem to be, it’s more that they are temporarily blinded by the bright lights and are stunned because they have no idea where they should go or what they should do.
If you live in Australia, these collisions can happen but there are ways you can avoid it and come out unscathed. Can the same thing be said for the kangaroo? Well, it depends on how hard they hit the car and if they are injured, then it depends on how fast wildlife experts, animal control, or whoever helps injured kangaroos can get there.
