An Australian town suffers from kangaroo occupation of its roads and gardens

A small town in the regional state of Queensland is battling a horde of kangaroos, with locals saying there are simply "too many of them".

Only 219 people live in Marom, which floats south of Hervey Bay, making the occasional presence of about 80 kangaroos on the town's streets a big problem.

Residents say they have been walking around with sticks to fend off the feisty animals, who are afraid we will pounce on unsuspecting victims.

"They're constantly bouncing around the park and between the caravans. So now people are walking around with big sticks," Karen Sutcliffe, director of Caravan Park, told ABC. Because I'm afraid of facing a kangaroo. They're so fast you don't even know where they are."

Frank Mills, a director of Wildlife Operations in the South, said attacks are still relatively small and are attributed to male kangaroos more than females.

He explained, "We counted more than 60 to 80 kangaroos on any given day within the city itself and the surrounding local forests, which cannot accommodate so many kangaroos."

Mills warned residents not to feed their rowdy neighbours.

He also warned against using counterfeit pistols to discourage them.

"This could have a negative effect on how these animals feel about humans and may make them more aggressive," he said.

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