A drop bear (or dropbear), is a mythical Australian marsupial supposedly related to the koala.

Drop bears are commonly said to be unusually large, carnivorous, vicious koalas who inhabit treetops and attack their prey by dropping onto their heads from above. They are a part of local lore intended to frighten and confuse outsiders, and amuse locals.

Unsuspecting foreigners are often told that doing ridiculous things like having forks in their hair will deter the beasts.

The modern legend of the drop bear is descended from Australian Aboriginal legends. Stories of the creature may be related to the Phascolarctos stirtoni or the carnivorous Phascolarctos involus , which belong to a group of extinct animals known as Australian megafauna. The prehistoric creatures were approximately twice the size of modern koalas.

See also

• Fictional national animals
• Bunyip
• Yowie
• Jackalope

External links

• Drop Bears: Terror of the Australian Bush - resource links from Trinity College, Perth, Western Australia.