Updated April 21, 2018 00:50:16

Photo: Visitors to Fuzhou Zoo in southern China reportedly sometimes threw stones at kangaroos to make them jump around. (ABC TV)

Zoo authorities in China say a kangaroo has been killed and another injured at Fuzhou Zoo in south-eastern Fujian province after visitors threw rocks into their enclosure.

Local media said the 12-year-old female kangaroo was "pelted" with rocks by visitors, with a sharp stone injuring its left foot and causing bleeding.

An autopsy reportedly showed the kangaroo probably died due to a ruptured kidney, after zookeepers treated the animal's injured foot but did not realise it was bleeding internally.

A few days later, a visitor allegedly threw part of a brick into the kangaroo enclosure, injuring a five-year-old male — but it is expected to make a full recovery.

Fuzhou Zoo's kangaroo breeder told Chinese media visitors sometimes throw stones to make the marsupials wake up or jump around.

The zoo has reportedly now applied for funding to install high-definition surveillance cameras.

It has also decided to only allow three of their kangaroos to be on show for visitors, while the body of the dead female kangaroo will be preserved and put on display.

Topics: zoos, animal-welfare, china

First posted April 20, 2018 20:13:30