THE handler of the caged kangaroo being used by Tourism Australia in the US said Steve Irwin would “approve”.

Shocking video footage showed 10-year-old Fesnick crouching in a cage on a busy Los Angeles street and exposed Tourism Australia to allegations of animal cruelty.

The stunt was part of Tourism Australia’s “G’day USA” marketing campaign.

Handler Jim Brocket, a 30-year veteran supplier of animals for entertainment, said Fesnick appeared at Steve Irwin’s movie premier.

“Steve Irwin very much would have approved,” Mr Brocket said.

Kylie Mackenzie, who shot the footage in January, said she was horrified to see the kangaroo kept for hours on end in such an unnatural environment, with barely a bucketful of straw over the concrete pavement.

“I just couldn’t believe that this is how they were trying to promote Australia,” she said.

Her footage comes less than three weeks after The Daily Telegraph revealed the shocking treatment of Rocky the red kangaroo at a Texas circus.

When questioned yesterday about the LA stunt, Tourism Australia saw nothing wrong and would keep using kangaroos to promote Australia.

“It was an event for the public and obviously when you are doing things with Australia, people – particularly children – are really interested in seeing animals,” spokeswoman Rachel Crowley said.

Ms Crowley said the kangaroo came from a reputable animal handler and was only on display for four hours at a time.

Humane America, the USA equivalent of Australia’s RSPCA, had seen the footage and was unconcerned.

“Their view was that it wasn’t (in distress) and that when it did a bit of rocking it was just maybe a bit of boredom,” Ms Crowley said.

However, Tim Faulkner, a marsupial expert at Australian Reptile Park, said it was clear the animal was not acting normally.

“The animal is obviously distressed, there is no question about it,” he said.

Animal Liberation spokeswoman Angie Stephenson said noises of a city street combined with confinement in a small cage were unsuitable for a kangaroo.

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