Escaped kangaroo in Canada punches police officer in face before recapture

The female kangaroo punched a police officer who tried to grab her by the tail.

A female kangaroo who escaped a zoo in Canada punched a police officer in the face before being recaptured.

The 4-year-old kangaroo had been on the loose east of Toronto since last week, with authorities desperately trying to find it.

Staff Sergeant Chris Boileau said officers on patrol spotted the kangaroo about 3am on a rural property in north Oshawa, about 60 kilometres east of downtown Toronto, and were “able to keep eyes on it” for nearly four hours.

Two officers then approached the kangaroo and, on the advice of its handler, “they just grabbed it by the tail”.

The kangaroo responded by punching one of the officers in the face.

“It’s something that he and his platoon mates will be remembering for the rest of their careers,” Boileau told CBC Toronto.

Once the kangaroo settled down, they were able to take it back to Oshawa Zoo, where it was given a medical examination.

Footage emerged last week of the fugitive kangaroo bouncing along the roads in Oshawa, frightening locals.

Paul Rellinger said he was taking his son to school when they came across the animal on a busy road.

“The car in front of us hit the brakes pretty hard. As we [braked], we saw this animal scurry out in front of the vehicle.

“I thought it was a deer but then I thought it’s not running, it’s hopping. I go, ‘That’s a kangaroo!’.

“We started filming and then I realised and called 911 ... I assured them I wasn’t crazy and it was a kangaroo.”

Paul Rellinger was taking his son to school when they came across a kangaroo hopping along the side of the road in Oshawa.

The kangaroo initially escaped while being transported by truck to a zoo in Quebec, with its adult offspring.

It managed to jump over its handlers while it was being unloaded for a short stop and took off.

The handlers tried to search for it, but it was dark.

Cameron Preyde, park supervisor and head keeper for the Oshawa Zoo and Fun Farm, awoke on Monday to “about 50 missed calls” and said it was a tremendous relief that the animal was captured safely. He gave her a check-up, fed her “lots of food” and said she was tired but in good health.

The kangaroo was born and raised in captivity, he said.

“I think she would have been quite scared. This is an animal ... that has been used to having humans around taking care of her.”

The kangaroo was unharmed.