Man Who Punched Kangaroo Is Investigated

Posted on by PETA Australia

The RSPCA is investigating after a video that showed a man punch a kangaroo recently went viral.


And rightly so.

Punching a kangaroo in the face is neither brave nor funny – it’s illegal, as is harassing native wildlife with dogs.

https://facebook.com/PETAAustraliaOfficial/photos/a.147112932317988.1073741830.137890399906908/355081801521099/?type=3   

This incident reportedly occurred as a pack of dogs was running loose, following the trail of a boar, while hunters followed behind, safe in their ute. Allowing hunting dogs to run uncontrolled through a group of native animals is highly irresponsible and also goes against all authorities’ advice.

Since the man – a zookeeper at Taronga Zoo – punched the kangaroo only after the dog was already well clear of the animal’s grasp, this was a totally unnecessary act.

 

This guy not only assaulted a wild animal – potentially injuring his jaw, nose, or eyes – but also put the dogs at risk of serious injury by using them for hunting.

Kangaroos can easily develop stress myopathy when confronted by dogs and humans, which often leads to a painful death from rhabdomyolysis, even if they appear uninjured at first. The animal in this incident may well have gone on to suffer for days or even weeks before dying.

kangaroo lying on ground

It’s extremely worrying to hear that those involved considered this assault to be the highlight of the trip. The man in the video should be prosecuted instead of being made out to be a national hero, and PETA welcomes the RSPCA’s investigation into this matter.