Koalas might be some of the cutest animals on the planet, with their fluffy ears, round noses and cuddly teddy bear faces. But one koala in Australia is proving that appearances can be very deceiving!
In a hilarious video making the rounds online, a woman named Simona captures an unexpected conversation between her partner and a nearby koala. And the sound that comes out of the adorable animal is definitely not what anyone expects!
The video begins when Simona’s partner calls out to a koala. Surprisingly, the little marsupial answers him.
But instead of making a sweet squeak or gentle chirp, the koala lets out an incredibly deep, rumbling bellow that sounds more like a prehistoric dinosaur than an animal famous for sleeping in eucalyptus trees.
Seriously, how does such a cute little face produce THAT noise?
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:
The strange call is so unexpected that viewers have been left laughing, gasping and questioning everything they thought they knew about koalas.
“I have never heard a koala in my life. This is terrifying,” one commenter admitted.
And the funniest part? That comparison to a dinosaur isn’t far-fetched at all!
It turns out that recordings of real koalas were actually used to help create some of the terrifying Tyrannosaurus rex sounds in the original “Jurassic Park” movie.
According to wildlife biologist Maggie Watson of Australia’s Charles Sturt University, the deep grunting noises heard during the famous T. rex scene involving a man hiding in a bathroom include the call of a male koala.
Even the movie’s sound designer, Gary Rydstrom, has discussed how surprised he was when he first recorded a koala and discovered its unexpectedly powerful voice.
So what exactly is happening when koalas make these strange noises?
Male koalas produce deep calls known as bellows, particularly during breeding season. They use them to communicate with other koalas, including potential mates and competing males.
Their unusual vocal anatomy allows them to make sounds much deeper than you’d expect from an animal their size.
And while the noise might seem frightening to people hearing it for the first time, it’s simply a normal part of koala communication.
That certainly doesn’t make the video any less hilarious!
Imagine enjoying a peaceful evening in Australia, spotting an adorable koala in a tree and deciding to say hello, only to have what sounds like a miniature T. rex answer you.
Simona’s partner probably wasn’t expecting to have a conversation with a dinosaur that day, but that’s exactly what it sounds like!
One thing’s for sure: After watching this video, you’ll never look at those sweet, fluffy koala faces quite the same way again.