Kangaroo attacks zookeeper

The video shows a zookeeper being attacked by a kangaroo. Photo / YouTube

It's a zoo where staff clearly need to be fighting fit.

Startling footage has emerged of the moment a keeper was caught up in a boxing match with an adult kangaroo.

The short clip shows the male worker holding the enormous animal at a distance as it takes several swings for his body and face.

A group of people behind the camera can be heard saying "oh my god, they're literally boxing".

And a child can be heard laughing and shouting that the scene is "kangaroo versus man" - only to be told off by an adult who warns him that "it is not funny".

The footage, which appears to have been shot in America, shows how the animal appears to be fixated with the idea of attacking the keeper.

At one point the kangaroo loses its footing and trips down a step - but just as quickly the animal pulls itself back up and continues throwing punches.

The video, which since being uploaded to YouTube has been viewed more than 12,500 times, concludes with the man shouting out to the crowd "I need help".

Kangaroos 'box' as a defensive measure. They will often hold an attacker with their forearms while kicking out with their feet - a move that can disembowel an opponent.