Water roo doing? Incredible moment kangaroo joins surprised swimmers for a dip at an Australian beach before hopping off across the sand

  • Male Eastern Grey Kangaroo cooled down with kids on the NSW North Coast
  • The curious animal and three excitable children shared a special moment
  • Little girl totally unfazed as the refreshed roo stood up and moved closer 

By Peter Vincent For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

Young beachgoers got their own up-close wildlife show when a big male Eastern Grey Kangaroo decided to join them for a swim to cool off.

A cute video posted to Facebook shows the inquisitive animal moving to within a few metres of a group of three children on the New South Wales North Coast on Wednesday.

The excitable kids and equally curious kangaroo shared the special moment - and a cooling dip - in the shallow waters of Lake Arragan, just north of Broom Heads.

An Eastern Grey Kangaroo shared a special moment with three young children at Lake Arragan, on the NSW North Coast

An Eastern Grey Kangaroo shared a special moment with three young children at Lake Arragan, on the NSW North Coast

The Grey soaks himself while he checks out the kids, who gleefully squeal as the animal slowly stands up.

The two boys retreat warily, but the little girl stays sitting and checking out her furry fellow swimmer in a mini Kangaroo-human staring contest. She wins.

One calls out 'Wow!' as the refreshed roo eventually bounds past the group before disappearing up the beach and into the dunes.

When the roo moved closer this girl stayed cool while the boys she sat with scattered. She won their staring contest and the roo hopped away

When the roo moved closer this girl stayed cool while the boys she sat with scattered. She won their staring contest and the roo hopped away

A kangaroo (pictured) was spotted munching on a banana in a tent at nearby Arrawarra in November

A kangaroo (pictured) was spotted munching on a banana in a tent at nearby Arrawarra in November

The amazing sight comes after a kangaroo was found inside a tent belonging to a family at nearby Arrawarra Headland in November.  

Stephanie Jones and her family were camping when they were woken up at witching hour to a kangaroo scurrying around.

The pair initially thought it was their teenage son who was making all the ruckus but were shocked to find it was instead a wild marsupial.

Careful not to spook by their unwelcome visitor, Ms Jones ordered her husband to open the tent so they could evict the kangaroo. 

When do kangaroo attacks occur?

The risk of being attacked by a kangaroo is very low. Several thousand people seek medical attention each year for injuries from domestic pets, while fewer than five people in NSW are treated for kangaroo-related injuries. 

The greatest risk is in areas where people have altered kangaroos' natural habitat and feeding patterns. 

Kangaroo attacks may occur where: 

• their numbers, movements and group structure have changed because kangaroos’ natural predators are no longer present, or new habitat has been provided with the creation of dams, shelter and pastures

• kangaroos have lost their instinctive fear of humans because people have fed or handled them 

• a kangaroo sees a person as a sparring partner or threat to themselves, their offspring or their dominance of the group 

• a kangaroo is cornered or startled 

• female kangaroos are weaning their young 

• a habituated kangaroo (one used to people) has aggressive traits. 

A kangaroo will attack a person as if they were another kangaroo. It may push or grapple with its forepaws or sit back and kick out with its hind legs. As resulting injuries can be serious, avoiding conflict with kangaroos is vital. 

Source: Office of Environment and Heritage 

New South Wales

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