'It is a lie': The true story behind incredible photo of kangaroos 'celebrating rain'
A photographer has revealed the truth behind a photo of two kangaroos seen “celebrating” in the rain.
The photo has been widely shared on social media in recent days, depicting two kangaroos leaping in the air as rain comes down.
It went viral because people thought it showed two kangaroos celebrating badly-needed rainfall as much of the country struggles through drought and bushfires.
However Charles Davis, the photographer behind the image, told Yahoo News Australia that his photo is being misused and the assumptions around it aren’t true.
Mr Davis said the picture was taken in Geephi, near Kosciuszko National Park, in March 2014 and the kangaroos weren’t celebrating either – they were brawling.
“I had spent three hours sitting in the rain trying to get this exact shot with two male kangaroos fighting in the rain but isolated from the others,” Mr Davis said.
“I knew I had gotten the shot when it happened, I was cold, tired but happy I got what I was there for. The image is called Praise to the Rain, but they were not celebrating, they merely wanted to fight.”
Mr Davis, a resident of the NSW Snowy Mountains, said he’s currently within reach of the Adaminaby Complex fire which has burned through more than 93,000 hectares. It’s currently under control.
Mr Davis said his photo has been used “to post lies all over social media”.
“These kangaroos are more than likely ash now and definitely aren’t celebrating anything,” he said.
“I can say first hand there has been bugger all rain and everything is still very much burning.”
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Mr Davis added photographers needed to be credited for their images.
“The lies that a post like this spreads are the more significant problem; if they are too lazy to credit the creator of the image, then they will most likely be too lazy to fact check the message they are sharing, and you can be sure it is a lie,” he said.
Some areas of the NSW South Coast around Nowra received up to 40mm in 24 hours across Friday and Saturday. However, towns near the Snowy Mountains area haven’t been so lucky, only receiving anywhere between 3mm to no rainfall.
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