This kangaroo wasn’t grieving the loss of his lover — he’s actually a horny male marsupial who may have caused her death, experts say.
Photos of the jacked kangaroo holding a doe’s head up — allowing her to see her little joey one last time — went viral Wednesday after an Australian photographer caught the heartbreaking moment on camera and shared the story on Facebook.
But Dr. Derek Spielman, who teaches veterinary pathology at the University of Sydney, said he had “no doubt” the kangaroo was actually trying to mate with the dying female.
He said the pictures of the male seemingly protecting her from other kangaroos in the area is a signature display of “mate guarding.”
“Competition between males to mate with females can be fierce and can end in serious fighting,” he told The Guardian Australia. “It can also cause severe harassment and even physical abuse of the target female, particularly if she is unresponsive or tries to get away from the amorous male.”
Sometimes, this can cause the male kangaroos to become violent “to the point where they can kill the female,” Spielman said.
“That is not their intention but that unfortunately can be the result, so interpreting the male’s actions as being based on care for the welfare of the female or the joey is a gross misunderstanding,” he added.
Instead, he blamed “naive anthropomorphism” — when people attribute human attributes to animals — for why so many thought it was a heartbreaking goodbye for a baby and father.
Photographer Evan Switzer snapped photos of the doe’s death Monday while on a walk with his dog in Queensland, Australia.
“It was a pretty special thing. He was just mourning the loss of his mate,” he told The Daily Mail.