A wounded kangaroo was slashed across the neck with a knife 18 times as it cried in pain and tried to escape before bleeding to death.

Horrifying footage posted online shows a Chinese man approach the animal whose leg was injured as his laughing friend filmed on his phone.

The man, brandishing a hunting knife, avoided several attempts by the kangaroo to strike out at him as it tried to escape from the hillside in the Australian bush.

A wounded kangaroo was slashed across the neck with a knife 18 times as it cried in pain and tried to escape before bleeding to death

The man, brandishing a hunting knife, avoided several attempts by the kangaroo to strike out at him as it tried to escape from the hillside in the Australian bush

He eventually grabbed the stricken marsupial by the tail as in snarled at him, before holding it down with his foot.

The man then stabbed and slashed at the kangaroo's neck 18 times until it finally went limp and stopped crying out in pain.

Video shows him crouching next to the lifeless body like a hunter bragging about a kill.

The NSW RSPCA said it was investigating the incident, but it was not known exactly where or when the footage was filmed.

The man then callously stabbed and slashed at the kangaroo's neck 18 times until it finally went limp and stopped crying out in pain