Everything You Need to Know About Drop Bears (& If They Really Exist)

The drop bear is a ferocious and carnivorous koala-like animal that is, thankfully, completely fake! It’s a popular animal in Australian folklore that locals use to jokingly scare kids and tourists. If you’d like to learn more about this fictitious animal, keep reading. We’ll go over the drop bear’s (fictional) diet, habitat, size, and appearance, as well as where the myth comes from and how it became so popular.

Are drop bears real?

No, drop bears are a fictional animal in Australian folklore. They’re described as large and carnivorous, koala-like animals that jump from treetops to attack their prey. Drop bears have sharp teeth and claws, which can potentially be dangerous to people.

Section 1 of 10:

What is a drop bear?

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A drop bear is a fictional, koala-like animal in Australian folklore. The drop bear is a large and carnivorous koala-like animal from Australia that is said to drop on and attack unsuspecting prey from the treetops. Thankfully, it’s not a real animal and instead, is just an urban legend! The mythical creature is an inside joke among Australians, who tell scary tales of the drop bear to prank tourists and spook children.^{[1]
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- The myth of the drop bear plays into the fact that many real and dangerous animals call Australia home. So, Australians understand that tourists may be gullible and easily fall for stories about scary creatures.
- Like all urban legends and folklore, the myth of the drop bear does have a kernel of truth: it is important to be prepared, practice basic safety, and be aware of your surroundings when exploring the natural areas of Australia (just like any other place).
- Why are they called drop bears? Because they drop out of trees to attack their prey and resemble koala bears (which aren’t actually bears, but marsupials).

Section 2 of 10:

What do drop bears eat?

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Drop bears are carnivores that eat medium to large-sized mammals. According to legend, drop bears are meat-eaters that prefer mammals like kangaroos, wallabies, and possums. They’re ambush predators that watch for prey from the treetops. Then, they drop on top of them and use their sharp teeth and claws to tear into their prey.^{[2]
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- A subspecies of the drop bear, called the nocturnal drop bear, is said to primarily feed on the blood of other mammals (like a vampire bat).

Section 3 of 10:

Where do drop bears live?

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Most legends claim that drop bears live in tall forest canopies and open areas near woodlands. The majority of “sightings” take place in eastern and southern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia.^{[3]
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Section 4 of 10:

How big are drop bears?

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The drop bear is allegedly a medium to large-sized animal that’s about the same size as a large dog or leopard. They’re significantly larger than koalas, coming in at 4 ft (130 cm) tall and weighing 260 lbs (120 kg). ^{[4]
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Section 5 of 10:

What do drop bears look like?

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In most legends, the drop bear has a similar face and body to the koala. It’s sometimes depicted as having brownish-orange fur with dark spots, while in other images it has gray hair. It also has sharp teeth, long claws, and powerful arms that help it climb trees.

Section 6 of 10:

Are drop bears dangerous?

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Drop bears can be dangerous, but attacks are rare. While most stories about drop bears are meant to scare tourists and kids, the legends agree that these fictional animals don’t usually go out of their way to harm humans. However, if a drop bear does accidentally pounce on someone, their sharp claws and teeth can (allegedly) cause some damage!
- Because drop bears are just an urban legend, you might hear different stories about how dangerous they are. Some people might tell tall tales of family members being hunted and viciously attacked, while others may claim that they’re more reserved.
- Many Australians do tease that drop bears are more likely to attack tourists than locals. Luckily, there are some ways to help prevent attacks (though whether these methods actually “help” is debatable!):
  - Tying forks in your hair
  - Rubbing Vegemite behind your ears
  - Speaking in an Australian accent
  - Using Australian slang and idioms

Section 7 of 10:

Drop Bear Origins and Spread

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1
The drop bear origins are unknown, but tales are as old as the 1920s. Unfortunately, there aren’t any clear sources or people to credit for coming up with the drop bear. The legends likely stem from fictional stories about koalas acting aggressively and attacking people in the 1920s and 30s, which became more outlandish in the 1940s and 50s. By the 1980s, US and UK soldiers visiting Australia were asking local troops how to stay safe from drop bears!^{[5]
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Actor Paul Hogan is often credited with popularizing the drop bear. A sketch from Hogan’s comedy series, The Paul Hogan Show, from the 1980s may have brought drop bears to widespread popularity. In the sketch, Hogan comes across vicious koalas that fall from the trees and attack him. While he calls the animals “killer koalas,” they certainly look and act like drop bears!^{[6]
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- The Australian rock band Dropbears was formed in 1981, which may have added to this mythical creature’s popularity, too.
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Several legitimate organizations and sites have contributed to the joke. For instance, the Australian Museum has a fake informational page about the drop bear on its website. The Australian Geographic, a respected magazine and academic journal, has also published several fake articles about the drop bear (which coincidentally dropped on April Fool’s Day!).
- The Australian Museum even gave the drop bear a fancy scientific name: Thylarctos plummetus. This roughly translates to “drop bear” in Latin.

Section 8 of 10:

Drop Bears vs Koalas

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Drop bears are a carnivorous and more aggressive version of the koala. Though drop bears resemble koalas, they’re said to be very different. For one, drop bears are meat-eaters while koalas are herbivores that primarily eat eucalyptus leaves. Drop bears are also said to be very vicious and aggressive, while koalas are generally shy and docile. However, like any wild animal, koalas can be aggressive when threatened.^{[7]
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- It should also be reiterated that drop bears are not real animals, while koalas are! These fluffy animals are native to Australia.
- Drop bears and koalas aren’t actually bears, but marsupials. Like other marsupials, such as kangaroos and possums, baby koalas (and drop bears) stay in their mother’s pouch until they’re old enough to survive on their own.

Section 9 of 10:

Are drop bears related to a real animal?

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Thylacoleo carnifex is a prehistoric mammal that may have dropped from trees. Australia may have really been home to a carnivorous marsupial that pounced on prey from the treetops. Based on fossil records,Thylacoleo carnifex, commonly called the marsupial lion, had claws and limbs that suggest it ambushed its prey and could climb very well. It also had sharp teeth that indicate it was carnivorous.^{[8]
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- Thylacoleo carnifex is also described as being about as big as a lioness, which makes it a similar size to the drop bear.

Section 10 of 10:

Other Fictional Animals

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There are plenty of other famous and fictional animals across the globe. Folklore and tall tales about unique and dangerous animals are popular all across the world. Like the drop bear, the stories about these animals are often geared towards tourists and meant to poke fun at their gullibility. Check out some of these other famous fictional animals below!
- Hoop snakes: Snakes that grab their tails with their mouths and roll around like a wheel. They’re popular in Australia, but you may hear about them in the US and Canada, too.
- Jackalope: A jackrabbit with the horns of an antelope. It’s most popular in the US.
- Bigfoot/Sasquatch: A large, primate-like creature that walks on 2 legs. It’s most popular in the US and Canada.
- Chupacabra: A dog-like or reptilian animal that sucks other animals’ blood. It’s most popular in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the US.
- Wild haggis: A small, rodent-like mammal that’s native to Scotland.
- Mongolian death worm: A large and venomous red worm native to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia and China.