A former Australian police officer and martial arts enthusiast has beaten a 7ft kangaroo that tried to drown his dog in the Murray River in Mildura, Victoria.
The video of the fight between the kangaroo and this Australian was viewed more than 2.5 million times on TikTok before it was deleted.
“I saw a kangaroo with its arms in the water and looking right at me,” Mick Moloney told 7 News.
The former police officer, who practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu, was walking by the river when he noticed one of his dogs, Hutchy, was nowhere to be found.
His other dogs remained calm but did not venture into the river as usual.
That’s when the man reportedly spotted the “7-foot” kangaroo holding his panting dog to the pelvis with its submerged arms.
In a video filmed by the ex-cop, he can be seen charging at the marsupial, telling him to let go of his dog and punching him in the face.
However, the imposing animal seemed to take revenge by hitting the man with its clawed paw.
Fortunately, the man and his dog escaped unharmed.
“I had a few scratches,” Moloney said. “My forearm was killing me most of the day.”
University of Melbourne wildlife expert Graeme Coulson said it was normal for kangaroos to retreat into the water to avoid attacks. This is a survival instinct.