The biggest Aussie viral video this past week has been of the guy punching a kangaroo square in the jaw to save his dog.
If you’re not one of the tens-of-millions of people around the world to be gobsmacked (pun intended) by the clip already, take a look (above). It’s astonishing.
In it, a bunch of hunters scramble to find their dog, which is not so small itself, which they find being held in a headlock by a burly male kangaroo.
One of the hunters jumps from the vehicle to intervene. When he approaches, the man-sized marsupial gives one more kick to the dog before releasing it to turn its attention to the human.
The man and beast face up, Ali vs Frazier style. The man makes the first strike, clopping the ‘roo with a mean hook punch straight to the head.
The dazed kangaroo takes stock before deciding it might be best to leave the ring.
Viewers the world over – over 28 million just on this YouTube posting, then add those who have viewed duplicate postings, Facebook versions and even on TV – have been left to pick their jaws up off the floor and ask: ‘Is it real or face, though?’
In this dawning of the Trump/Post-truth era, it’s a fair question.
Well, according to reports, it is indeed for real.
The increadible footage was apparently taken during a trip hunting wild pigs for a guy named Kailem who was suffering from terminal cancer.
“Basically Kailem wanted to catch a boar,” hunt organiser Mathew Amor said of the June trip on a property in country NSW, according to News.com.au.
“And so a few of us got together to take him out, and another mate filmed more than an hour of video to put together as a DVD for Kailem and his family of the trip.”
Sadly, according to the report, Kailem died from cancer earlier this month.
According to the information on the YouTube post, Kailem’s last wish was to catch a 100kg wild boar (which are a feral pest in Australia) with the dogs. The video is part of the “treasured memories his family and friends have” of the hunt.
Since the video became a global sensation this week, it has been revealed that the man who got into the tangle with the kangaroo, Greig Tonkins, works as a zoo-keeper at one of Australia’s best known wildlife parks.
His employer was forced to release a statement after concerns were raised about the ethics of punching a wild animal.
“Taronga Western Plains Zoo can confirm that Greig Tonkins is an employee at Taronga Western Plains Zoo,” a spokesperson for the zoo said in a statement.
“Good animal welfare and the protection of Australian wildlife are of the utmost importance to Taronga.
“We are working with Mr Tonkins to understand the exact circumstances of the event and will consider any appropriate action.”
“My mate only stunned it,” Mr Amor said, according to News.com.au, in defence of Tonkins.
“His hand was OK, he didn’t hit it very hard at all.
“It was funny because the guy who did it is the most placid bloke. We laughed at him for chucking such a sh*t punch.”
And that’s how it goes, in #Straya.