Coughing kangaroo gives Brisbane residents a scare: 'Maybe he's got coronavirus'

Residents in a usually quiet street in Brisbane's southwest were alarmed when they found a kangaroo having a coughing fit on their front lawns.

With the world in the grips of a health crisis, hearing any coughing is going to raise some eyebrows.

So when the residents of Middle Park heard the raspy barking, they were surprised to see it was Gary the kangaroo, a long time visitor to the neighbourhood.

Not sure what to do, local Ruth Dalton decided to call the RSPCA to get Gary some help.

"I jokingly said to the vet or the lady from the RSPCA ambulance: 'maybe he's got coronavirus'," Ms Dalton said.

RSPCA officers arrived and at first had a bit of trouble sedating Gary, but eventually succeeded and took him in for treatment. Thankfully, Gary just had a slight chest infection and was released back into nearby bushland after receiving two doses of antibiotics.

But Gary seems to be self-isolating from the other kangaroos and preferred the suburban streets, returning to Middle Park for some sunbaking.