It happened fast. One minute, Greig Tonkins was out in the New South Wales bush on a boar hunting trip with his friends, and the next, he was squaring up against a six-foot-tall eastern grey. This wasn't some choreographed stunt for a low-budget movie. It was raw. It was weird. Honestly, the footage of when this guy fights a kangaroo to save his dog, Max, is probably one of the most surreal snippets of video ever captured on a smartphone.
You've probably seen it.
The kangaroo has the dog in a literal headlock. Max is yelping, clearly panicked. Tonkins runs up, the kangaroo lets go of the dog and stands tall—real tall—and then, thwack. Tonkins lands a solid right hook to the kangaroo’s snout. The marsupial just stands there, looking absolutely bewildered, before hopping off into the scrub.
It went viral for a reason.
The Reality of When a Guy Fights a Kangaroo
Most people outside of Australia think kangaroos are these cute, bouncy symbols of the Outback. People in rural Australia know better. An adult male eastern grey can weigh over 150 pounds and is basically a wall of pure, lean muscle. When we talk about the viral moment where this guy fights a kangaroo, we aren't talking about a fair fight; we're talking about a desperate move to save a pet from a predator that uses its claws like disemboweling knives.
Kangaroos don't "box" like humans do, even if it looks like it. They use their front paws to grab and hold their opponent. Their real weapons are their back legs. They lean back on their massive, muscular tails and kick out with enough force to rupture internal organs or slice open a stomach.
Why did the kangaroo hold the dog?
It’s a defensive instinct. When kangaroos feel threatened by dingoes or domestic dogs, they often retreat to water to drown them. If there's no water, they use that headlock move to pin the predator down so they can kick. In the Tonkins case, the kangaroo likely saw the dog as a threat to its mob.
Wildlife experts, like those from the Australian Museum, generally advise against what Tonkins did. Getting that close to a large male is incredibly dangerous. One wrong move and that kangaroo could have easily ended the confrontation by slicing downward with its hind feet.
The Social Media Fallout and the Hunter's Life
The aftermath of the video was almost as chaotic as the punch itself. Greig Tonkins wasn't just some random guy; he was a zookeeper at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Once the internet realized this guy fights a kangaroo and works with animals for a living, the backlash was immediate. Animal rights groups went into a frenzy. There were calls for him to lose his job.
However, the context mattered to those who lived there. The hunting trip was actually a "wish" trip for a friend, Kailem Barwick, who was terminally ill with cancer. The group was trying to give their friend one last great experience in the outdoors.
Taronga Zoo eventually decided not to fire him. They released a statement noting that Tonkins was an experienced handler and that, while they didn't condone his actions, they understood he was acting out of an impulse to protect his dog. It’s a classic example of how a 30-second clip can omit the heavy emotional weight of the actual day.
Examining the "Punch" Technique
If you watch the video closely, the punch isn't a professional knockout blow. It’s a "back off" move. Tonkins keeps his distance, uses his reach, and lands a blow meant to shock rather than injure.
- The kangaroo's reaction is the most telling part.
- It freezes.
- It re-evaluates the entire situation.
- The "fight" ends because the kangaroo realizes this "weird tall hairless ape" is willing to escalate.
It’s a rare instance of inter-species communication via a right cross.
✨ Don't miss: Why The Power Elite C Wright Mills Still Explains How America Works
The Physicality of the Eastern Grey Kangaroo
To understand the stakes, you have to look at the biology of the animal. We aren't talking about a petting zoo creature. The eastern grey (Macropus giganteus) is a powerhouse.
They have a specialized tendon system in their legs that acts like a giant spring. This allows them to travel at high speeds with minimal energy expenditure. Their tails are basically a fifth limb, composed of massive vertebrae and thick muscle. When Tonkins stepped into that space, he was entering the strike zone of an animal that evolved to survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth.
People often ask: could a human actually win if a guy fights a kangaroo in a prolonged match?
Basically, no.
A human lacks the natural armor and the sheer kicking power. We have soft bellies; they have thick skin and a fighting style designed to eviscerate. Tonkins won that day because of the element of surprise. The kangaroo had never been punched in the face by a primate before. It was a tactical victory, not a physical dominance one.
Misconceptions About Kangaroo Aggression
Contrary to what viral videos might suggest, kangaroos aren't out looking for scraps with humans. They are generally shy. Most "attacks" happen when people try to feed them or when dogs (which kangaroos perceive as dingoes) get too close.
- Feeding gone wrong: People offer food, the kangaroo gets frustrated or aggressive when the food runs out, and then a "fight" starts.
- Dog encounters: This is the most common trigger. A dog chases a kangaroo, the kangaroo turns to defend itself, and the owner gets caught in the middle.
- Mating season: Large males (boomers) are full of testosterone and are much more likely to stand their ground.
In the 2016 video, all three factors of a dangerous encounter were absent except for the dog. Max the dog triggered a primal response in the kangaroo, and Tonkins triggered a "what the heck was that?" response in the kangaroo.
👉 See also: Cherokee Nation v Georgia: What Most People Get Wrong About This Landmark Case
Safety Steps for Wildlife Encounters
If you ever find yourself in a situation where you think you're about to become the next person in a video where a guy fights a kangaroo, there are actual protocols to follow that don't involve boxing.
Give them space. If a kangaroo stands up on its hind legs and stares you down, it’s a warning. Don't move toward it.
Make yourself small. In the kangaroo world, height equals dominance. If you crouch down or move away sideways, you look less like a rival male and more like a non-threat.
Watch the dog. Keep pets on a leash in areas known for kangaroo populations. A dog’s instinct to bark and chase is a death sentence in the bush.
Don't punch the wildlife. Seriously. Greig Tonkins got lucky. He didn't get disemboweled, he didn't lose his job, and he saved his dog. But for 99% of people, attempting to punch a Macropod is a quick way to end up in an Australian emergency room with injuries that are very hard to explain to your insurance company.
The legacy of the "kangaroo punch" video lives on because it sits at the intersection of "terrifying" and "absurd." It reminds us that nature is unpredictable and that, sometimes, the bond between a human and their dog leads to some very questionable decision-making.
To stay safe in the Australian bush or any wilderness area, the best move is to observe from a distance. If an animal engages, your priority should be creating an exit, not landing a strike. Respect the power of these animals; they’ve been practicing their "boxing" for millions of years longer than we have.