Traffic was brought to a standstill in Ma On Shan, Hong Kong, over the weekend after a cow was struck and fatally injured by a passing car . The driver was unhurt and the vehicle only slightly damaged in what some might have considered to be a minor accident - but what happened next left no doubt that it was still indeed a tragedy.

Instead of fleeing in fear following the collision, the remaining cows exhibited an incredible show of compassion as they stood by apparently unwilling to leave their fallen friend behind. As he lay wounded on the street, the herd stayed lingering over him, nudging his pained body with their muzzles as if to try to rouse him or offer comfort.

Even as motorists honked for them to move, the cows refused to budge. But sadly, despite their efforts, the wounded animal eventually died. While it might have come as an inconvenience for drivers on the road that day, the profound sadness of what had happened wasn't lost on those who watched it all unfold.

"They wanted to help but it was no use. It's tragic," a witness told the South China Morning News. "They stayed at its side, encouraging it to move."