"Watch out for drop bears in that tree!"
Where "Drop Bear" Comes From
The "drop bear" is a modern Australian hoax creature — an invented, aggressive cousin of the koala said to drop from trees onto unsuspecting people below, especially tourists and newcomers.
The joke has been told with a completely straight face for decades, sometimes even backed up by mock scientific detail or fake warning signs, in the same tradition as the American "snipe hunt" prank played on the unsuspecting.
How Aussies Actually Use It
"Drop bear" stories are almost always aimed at tourists or newcomers, delivered as seriously as possible to see how long the joke can be kept going.
The classic advice for protection — smearing Vegemite behind your ears, or speaking in an Australian accent to seem less like an easy target — is all part of the elaborate, good-natured joke.
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