Woman injured after kangaroo attack at Australian golf club

The woman has been moved to a hospital and is in stable condition.

FILE PHOTO: Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services (WIRES) volunteer and carer Tracy Dodd holds a kangaroo with burnt feet pads after being rescued from bushfires in Australia's Blue Mountains area, December 30, 2019 (photo credit: REUTERS/JILL GRALOW/FILE PHOTO)
FILE PHOTO: Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services (WIRES) volunteer and carer Tracy Dodd holds a kangaroo with burnt feet pads after being rescued from bushfires in Australia's Blue Mountains area, December 30, 2019
(photo credit: REUTERS/JILL GRALOW/FILE PHOTO)

A kangaroo attacked and injured a 69-year-old woman on a golf course on Australia's Gold Coast, leaving her with severe cuts and scratches across her body, authorities said on Friday.

The kangaroo attacked the woman without warning while she was playing golf, knocking her to the ground and repeatedly kicking and stomping on her, Queensland state Ambulance Operations Supervisor Joel McEwan told reporters.

"She was walking down the fairway, and the kangaroo has come from the side and just attacked," McEwan said.

The woman has been moved to a hospital and is in stable condition, he said.

"The injuries to her jaw sound like to be the most significant injuries ... but she has got a number of lacerations across her face, her jaw, arms and legs," he said.

''Kangaroo and wallaby joeys that have been orphaned due to a mixture of road accidents, dog attacks, bushfires and drought conditions are seen in a cart as they are treated at Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah'' (credit: DARREN ENGLAND/VIA REUTERS)
''Kangaroo and wallaby joeys that have been orphaned due to a mixture of road accidents, dog attacks, bushfires and drought conditions are seen in a cart as they are treated at Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah'' (credit: DARREN ENGLAND/VIA REUTERS)

Australia has roughly 50 million kangaroos, according to experts, and they have been known to visit golf courses. It is not unusual for the marsupials to come into conflict with people as housing has expanded to areas where they live.