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A harrowing video shows a monkey mother holding onto the body of her baby after it was killed by a car driving through Kruger National Park in South Africa.

In the video, the poor animal – thought to be a female baboon – can be seen to stare at the battered and bloody corpse where it lies in the road.

The monkey then runs her hands through the youngster's tail, picking off parasites as if her baby might still be alive.

Seeming confused, she then pulls the baby monkey close to her chest, but its lifeless body does not cling to her to be carried as it had so many times before.

(Image: Kruger National Park Videos / Youtube)

Another baboon approaches to see what is going on, but the mother turns to her side and continues to groom her dead baby while its blood soaks into the road.

The clip was uploaded to Youtube on Boxing Day by the channel Kruger National Park Videos, where it has been seen more than 2,000 times.

In the caption, the channel called the clip “the saddest nature video of the year”.

(Image: Kruger National Park Videos / Youtube)

In a warning to drivers, it added: “Speed limits within the park are set for a reason and this video shows why it is important to stick to them.“

The tragic story resonated with viewers, who sympathised with the unlucky baboon, with many suggesting she knew the baby was dead and was grieving.

“Very bad I know his mother carrying for baby dead,” wrote one viewer.

Posting a crying emoji, another user said it was “very sadly heartbreaking”.

“Poor mother,” added a third.

This comes after it was reported that scientists working on the famous "monkey island" discovered that apes with best friends had an increased chance of survival compared to those who had multiple pals.

And a chimpanzee has been hailed a genius after it started washing clothes after observing its handlers do the same.