A man has died in southeast Queensland, Australia, after a kangaroo collided with his motorbike, according to the Queensland Police Service.
The 48-year-old man was riding an off-road motorcycle north along Middle Road in Womalilla, a small rural town with a population of 39.
Police believe a kangaroo struck his motorbike and threw the man from his bike just after 7:30 p.m. on July 7.
The man suffered critical injuries, and despite the efforts of emergency services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The kangaroo also died following the crash.
There are few details at the moment, but Queensland’s Forensic Crash Unit is completing an investigation and will prepare a report for the coroner.
Higher Likelihood of Wildlife Encounters at Dusk
The Womalilla man was passing through some prime kangaroo-accident territory.Data by the Australian government suggests that kangaroo car accidents are most likely to occur between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., and motorcyclists fare the worst in crashes with kangaroos. They make up 50 percent of the fatalities that occur in kangaroo collisions.
The winter months (June-August) also have the most animal collisions compared to any other season. This may be due to poorer weather conditions and visibility.
Kangaroos and wallabies make up 90 percent of all animal collisions in Australia.
The New South Wales Centre for Road advises people to reduce speed when they see animal warning signs and only brake when it is safe to do so, and never swerve—it is safer to hit an animal than swerve and lose control of your vehicle.
