Dying kangaroo pictured reaching out to her joey as she is cradled by her mate

The scene was captured by a photographer who regularly walks in the area of River Heads, Queensland

Photogrpaher, Evan Switzer, said that after the marsupial died, the male seemed to stand guard over her body

A dying kangaroo has been photographed apparently reaching out to her joey as her head is cradled by her mate.

The scene under a mango tree in River Heads, Queensland, was captured by Evan Switzer, a photographer who regularly walks in the area, The Courier Mail in Australia reported.

“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,” he told the paper.

“He would lift her up and she wouldn’t stand she’d just fall to the ground, he’d nudge her, stand beside her... it was a pretty special thing, he was just mourning the loss of his mate.”

Mr Switzer said that after the kangaroo died, the male seemed to stand guard over her body.

“The male would chase the other kangaroos that came around away – he was sort of protective over the female,” he said.

“The young one looked kind of confused, it would stand by the mother and then hop off and chew some grass, and then come right back again.”

He said he could not see any signs of injury on the kangaroo.

“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,” Mr Switzer said.