Candid images which have emerged online have done much to remind the public of the powerful bonds which exist between families in the wild.
Captured by photographer, Evan Switzer, these three images tell the story of the passing of a mother kangaroo who attempted to embrace her child one last time before losing her fight for life.
Held and protected by her mate, the mother kangaroo reached for her joey who gazed intently at his mother before she eventually died under the shade of a mango tree on a bushland property in Queensland, Australia.
Astounded by the scene unfolding before him, Evan began taking photos of the family's final moments as a trio, saying: "I’ve travelled around a bit and you see a lot of dead roos on the side of the road – but I've never seen anything like that before."
Recalling the heartwrenching moments with utter clarity, Evan continued: "I saw the male pick up the female, he looked like he was just trying to get her up and see what was wrong with her."
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he revealed: "He would lift her up and she wouldn't stand she'd just fall to the ground, he'd nudge her, stand besides her. It was a pretty special thing, he was just mourning the loss of his mate."
According to the photographer, the female kangaroo's mate protected her body after her passing, explaining: "The male would chase the other kangaroos that came around away – he was sort of protective over the female."
We admit, these photos brought a tear to our eyes.
