The photographer, Evan Switzer, captured the moment on a bushland property in River Heads, Queensland, Australia.

 

He noticed what was going on while he was on a walk on the property on Monday morning.

 

The mother was dying under the shade of a mango tree, and being supported by a male companion as she reached out for her joey.

 

Mr. Switzer told the Daily Mail: "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 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."

 

As she died, the male propped¹ up her head so she could see her joey before she passed away.

 

The joey stared at her the whole time, and stood in a protective stance near her body.

 

After she died, her male companion guarded the corpse².

 

He chased after any kangaroos that came near her corpse.

 

After the photographer saw what was going on, he ran home to get his camera.

 

Mr. Switzer has been walking there twice a day for ten years and said he had never seen anything like it.

 

"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," he said.

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