Kangaroos are attacking tourists for McDonald's and KFC in Australia

'One lady got 17 stitches in her face from her eye to her chin'

Thousands of tourists flock to the grassy slopes by Morissett Hospital in southern Lake Macquarie to see the kangaroos which gather there (VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

Tourists have been warned not to feed kangaroos McDonald’s, KFC and carrots after a spate of attacks at a popular viewing spot in Australia.

Thousands flock to the grassy slopes by Morissett Hospital in southern Lake Macquarie to see the marsupials which gather there.

Although they are billed as tame and adorable, they have recently been kicking and scratching visitors after developing a taste for human food.

“There have been a number of reported incidents in which kangaroos have attacked visitors, in one case causing a very deep gash to a man’s stomach,” Greg Piper, an MP in Lake Macquarie, told the New South Wales parliament.

“In most cases they have been kicking out, clawing faces, and grappling with people, causing lacerations or significant scratching.”

In a separate interview, tourist shuttle bus driver, Shane Lewis, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that he had seen several attacks and taken pictures of the aftermath.

“There are people getting kicked and scratched at least every day,” he said. ”One lady got 17 stitches in her face from her eye to her chin.”

He added: “I’ve even seen some silly people feeding them McDonalds, KFC, corn chips, oats and there are some foods they are very aggressive for.”

Signs have been installed outside the hospital warning visitors not to feed the hopping animals.

Meanwhile, Mr Lewis has been collecting photos of those injured by kangaroos and showing them to tourists as a warning.

He said: ”Once I show them the photos they usually pull their kids away and put their food away when they know what can actually happen.

“There was a guy who got his stomach gashed open and he wasn’t even feeding them but … they’d been to McDonalds 10 minutes before, so whether they still had the food smell on them I have no idea, but for some reason the kangaroo took to him.”

Mr Piper, the MP in Lake Macquarie, told the NSW parliament he hoped to see “appropriate signage” in several languages warning tourists not to feed the kangaroos.

Typically shy by nature, kangaroos rarely pose a danger to humans in the wild. There are few records of them attacking humans without provocation.