ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

People Are Freaking Out After Hearing What Koalas Actually Sound Like

People Are Freaking Out After Hearing What Koalas Actually Sound Like

Yeah, it's not what you'd expect

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

Ah, koalas. They're cute, they look like little teddy bears, and they've been having a hell of a time of it recently. However, not everything about Australia's favourite eucalyptus-munching marsupial is as cute and cuddly as you might think. Watch the video below for proof:

Yes, some people are hearing what koalas actually sound like for the first time and it seems they're utterly traumatised as a result.

The short video shows an adorable wee critter in an enclosure standing by a corrugated fence and making a sound that sounds more like something an elephant seal or Jabba the Hutt might make, rather than a lovely koala.

It's sort of a snort, but also sounds a little bit like the laughter of some sort of miniature hell beast. Needless to say, it's got people freaking out.

Since the video was posted to Twitter, it has been liked nearly 185,000 times and retweeted more than 52,000 times.

The tweet read: "I don't know what I thought Koalas sounded like but this wasn't it."

PA

Yeah. That's you, me, and the rest of the world who aren't necessarily koala experts too, mate.

Anyway, people have been rushing to register their thoughts on the issue, which is - obviously - of paramount importance.

One person wrote: "They not cute no more."

Ah, come on, they're still cute. It's just that they sound like a broken drain.

Another wrote: "Kill it with fire."

Too soon, mate. Waaaay too soon.

A third offered: "That's their mating call. Little homie's just trying to get laid y'all."

PA

Anyway, while this sound might not be exactly what you'd expect them to sound like, it certainly isn't the only sound that koalas are capable of producing.

In fact, they've been known to make a variety of sounds that range from the more high-pitched squeaks that you may have expected, right down to the low-gurgling and guttural rutting noises that we're seeing here.

A study conducted in 2013 by the University of Sussex discovered that koalas could produce such sounds because they've got a special extra 'organ' of sorts outside of their voicebox that contains their vocal cords.

The animals' actual vocal cords are just a set of long fleshy folds of tissue between their upper throat and their nasal cavities.

Now aren't you glad you've learned this today?

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Interesting, Weird, Animals