Koalas have been in the news a lot lately because of the Australian bushfires that ravaged the country.

To the uninformed, they look like cute, cuddly little creatures that would be really good at hugs.

The reality is that they’re cute, cuddly little creatures, riddled with STDs (they carry chlamydia), that may well bite you if you try to go in for a snuggle.

And that was before we knew what they sounded like.

According to News18, a video has been doing the rounds that captures the koala’s actual voice, and Twitter is very concerned.

First, listen to this:

I don’t know what I thought Koalas sounded like but this wasn’t it pic.twitter.com/gTNE4OJCI4

— 🇱🇨 (@Kinglrg_) January 27, 2020

Here’s another one for good measure:

I wasn’t sure what I expected a Koala to sound like, but it wasn’t this. pic.twitter.com/t1KCAizhwX

— dora the frosty pakora (@cxffeinatedd) January 22, 2020

Uhm…it’s still cute?

Over to Twitter:

Abigail, above, is right. That sound forms part of their mating call, which they make using a special sound-producing organ not found in any other land mammal.

So that little guy is on the hunt for another koala to share his chlamydia.

Bless.

[source:news18]