Australia’s biggest Inside Joke: The Drop Bear

The drop bear (Thylarctos plummetus) is one of Australia’s most enduring cultural hoaxes. They are typically described as a vicious, carnivorous relative of the koala and unlike its docile, herbivorous counterpart, the drop bear is a mythical ambush predator said to lurk in the canopy of eucalyptus trees, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting tourists walking below.

Physical descriptions of the creature say it can be the size of a large dog or a leopard and weigh up to 120 kilograms, with powerful forearms for climbing and sharp teeth suited for a diet of meat. Its primary method of attack involves dropping as much as eight meters to strike a victim’s head or shoulders, subduing them through impact before biting them on the neck and clawing at their face.

Origins of the Legend

So if the drop bears aren’t actually real, how did it get to a point where every Australian is in on the joke? While the exact origins of the legend are debated, many accounts suggest the tale was invented during World War II to tease gullible American servicemen. One famous 1970s sketch by comedian Paul Hogan, featuring “killer koalas” is described as a catalyst for the myth’s popularity by some other accounts. Today, the hoax is enthusiastically conserved by major institutions such as  the Australian Museum hosting a mock-scientific entry on its website, and Australian Geographic publishing satirical research claiming that these creatures specifically target tourists with foreign accents.

When using the joke at the expense of gullible tourists, Australians suggest a variety of absurd folk remedies to visitors. Common survival tactics include wearing forks in one’s hair or smearing Vegemite under the armpits or behind the ears. Some people even cite the research claiming the animals can distinguish between local and foreign accents and advise tourists to adopt an Australian accent to avoid being identified as prey.

The “Collective Performance”

Australian Comedian Jim Jefferies describes the drop bear as the only “practical joke that we’ve all agreed on” as an entire nation. This spontaneous, collective performance is a key element of the joke as Australians often jump in to support a fellow countryman’s lie with no prior coordination or preplanning.  Jefferies illustrates this through an anecdote in a stand-up routine about his British wife being pranked in the bush. While they were filming in the bush Jeffries subtly showed himself carefully surveying the canopy, waiting for his wife to ask why before telling her about “these animals called drop bears”.  The cameraman he had just met immediately joined the ruse, claiming his “cousin died from one” and later, the makeup artist told the wife that she had only ever seen a couple of drop bears. This collective and collaborative way of telling the story makes it feel far more believable to outsiders. If they are ever given the ultimate reward of being let in on the joke they are expected to pass the legend on to others and keep the national secret alive. 

Ultimately, the drop bear serves as an initiation that welcomes outsiders into the nation’s dry sense of humour. By embracing the myth, Australians invite visitors to share in a unique form of hospitality and make sure that they can follow the country’s unofficial rule of not taking yourself too seriously.

written by Sean Furniss