Roger the ripped kangaroo, who sprang to fame when he crushed a metal bucket between his paws with a physique that's made many humans jealous, has died at a Northern Territory sanctuary.

Key points: Roger has been buried at the sanctuary, where he lived for about a decade

Roger has been buried at the sanctuary, where he lived for about a decade The owner of the sanctuary described the famous kangaroo as his "best mate" and "son"

The owner of the sanctuary described the famous kangaroo as his "best mate" and "son" The muscular macropod first became famous for crushing a metal bucket between his paws

The much-loved alpha kangaroo had millions of fans when he died from natural causes aged 12 at The Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs.

"We have lost our beautiful boy," owner Chris Barns said.

"He lived a lovely long life and was loved by millions around the world."

"He's passed away very peacefully under his favourite witchetty bush where he liked to sleep to get out of the hot sun. It's a beautiful shady tree and we found him underneath that tree."

Rescued from his dead mother's pouch

Roger was a small joey when he came into Mr Barns' life in 2007.

"I rescued him out of his dead mother, 25 kilometres north of Alice Springs, when I was out patrolling the roads checking roadkill," Mr Barns said.

"Little did I know that the little joey just pulled out of his mother's pouch would grow up to be such a well-known animal around the world."

Roger was about five months old and had only just started to grow hair.

"I used to call him Roger Rabbit because he looked like Roger Rabbit with these big ears that flopped over the top. And then that just became Roger as he got older," Mr Barns said.

Chris Barns with his best mate, Roger. ( Supplied: Chris Barns )

Despite being hand reared, Roger became aggressive at two years of age, which is common for male kangaroos.

"They want someone to kickbox with and Roger used to practise his kickboxing with me," Mr Barns said.

"He very much misunderstood my posture and he thought I was challenging him to fight.

"That's why Roger used to chase me around the bush everywhere. He was saying, 'I'm number one here'."

International stardom

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Mr Barns said Roger was the reason the sanctuary was set up to rehabilitate orphaned and injured kangaroos and where possible, release them back into the wild.

In Roger's case, he couldn't be released because his feet were badly injured.

Instead, he was transformed into an international star, thanks to his role in the BBC documentary, Kangaroo Dundee.

"He's been a massive part of our life and is now known all around the world," Mr Barns said.

For five years Roger was the "boss" at the sanctuary, but in 2016 his years started to catch up with him, Mr Barns said.

His eyesight was failing and he was being treated for arthritis.

Mr Barns, who describes Roger as his "best mate" and "son", said he had only been able to pat the kangaroo as he slowed down around his 11th birthday.

"When I got near Roger he wasn't threatened by me at all and then I became best mates [with him] in the last two years of [his] life," Mr Barns said.

As Roger's temperament changed, his son Monty took over the position of alpha male.

"Roger became a beautiful, loving kangaroo. He submitted every time his son, who was the same size as him, came around," Mr Barns said.

Roger has been buried at the sanctuary.

"He will always be here," Mr Barns said.