Did a kangaroo knock over a mechanical witch Halloween decoration with a powerful flying kick? No, that’s not true: This video is AI-generated. When kangaroos kick out with both hind feet, they support themselves with their tail firmly on the ground.
The video (archived here) was published on TikTok by @gonzalopalacios43 on Oct. 24, 2025. The video caption (translated by TikTok) reads:
you’re not going to scare me, you’re stupid. #astupida#susto#halloween#humor#comedia
This is a screenshot of the video on TikTok:
Image Source: Lead Stories screenshot from tiktok.com/@gonzalopalacios43/video/7564635209820376338.
This footage has several signs it’s fake. The timestamp clock at the top of the screen does not have a sensible timer, and some of the text characters are mangled. There are two giveaways that the animal pictured is not real. At six seconds in the video, the kangaroo kicks at the witch decoration (pictured below left) and rises completely off the ground with its tail swinging under it.
Image Source: Lead Stories composite image with screenshots from tiktok.com/@gonzalopalacios43/video/7564635209820376338 and youtube.com/watch?v=rRddLDynsCs.
A YouTube video (embedded below) shows two large males sparring in a residential neighborhood — no doubt they could kick over the Halloween decorations if they wanted to. Kicking with both hind feet is a common move in kangaroo fights (screenshot pictured above right from 3 minutes, 55 seconds in the video). Kangaroos support their body and brace with their muscular tail as they deliver the kick.
At the end of the @gonzalopalacios43 clip, the second telling AI glitch is how the kangaroo seems to be pulled backwards off the screen by an invisible force. Kangaroos cannot jump or move backward because their tail would get in the way. In a FAQ page (archived here) on kangaroos, kangarooislandtoursaustralia.com.au writes:
You may have heard that kangaroos can’t go backwards, but is it true?
The simple answer is yes. Kangaroos can’t hop backwards. In fact, they can’t even walk backwards. This is mainly because of the massive tail that keeps the critters from moving in reverse. If a kangaroo needs to move backwards, it will simply turn around.
