Kangaroos are a huge tourist attraction in Australia, but visits to one park have been getting more than just a close up view of the furry critters. A two-hour train ride from Sydney will get you to Lake MacQuarie, a popular spot to watch kangaroos.

Signs around the area say not to feed the kangaroos, but not everyone heeds the warnings. Kangaroos love carrots and a tour operator says they become aggressive at the sight of their favorite sugary snack.

The kangaroos are wild, but are still seemingly tame enough to get close to and take photos with. Carrots in hand, thousands of tourists each week travel to get a glimpse of the animal that graces the country’s coat of arms, but the photo sessions don’t always end well.

Shane Lewis, who operates a shuttle says that kangaroos can be extremely aggressive, but says that it is often people who are trying to feed them who get attacked. He says it never ends well. He shows pictures of injuries to tourists as a reminder of what the animals can do.

They have powerful legs that they use to kick and scratch when they become aggressive. Michelle Shaw, a nutritionist at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo says it is likely that the kangaroos have become addicted to the carrots because of their high sugar content, which is bad for marsupials like kangaroos. She says when they see carrots they get aggressive to feed that addiction.

U to 2,000 people each week visit the grounds where the kangaroos are often found, and despite the attacks, people says that it is likely that they will remain a draw for international tourists. Locals say the only thing to do is to educate people about the dangers.

What do you think? I’d like to see a kangaroo, but not at the risk of getting attacked by one! Be sure to share this story with your friends.