Mr Delaware and the Boxing Kangaroo
(1895)
Also known as: Das Boxende Känguruh
Premiering at the first public projection of motion pictures in Germany, Das Boxende Känguruh is one of the earliest examples of animal behaviour on screen.
A groundbreaking production, the captive marsupial is recorded boxing against Mr Delaware and, despite being intended for entertainment rather than as a scientific behaviour study, it revealed animal actions in a way that had never been seen before.
The contest, recorded by Max Skladanowsky against a white background at the Circus Busch, was a huge success and exposed the potential for future films concerning wildlife and natural history.