CUDDLY KILLER
Brit TV reporter tricked into wearing armour and goggles to hold harmless koala after being told it’s ‘highly dangerous’
A BRITISH TV reporter was tricked into believing a koala was a lethal 'drop bear' - that could kill her at any moment.
Debi Edward, ITV News’ Asia correspondent, was fooled by the Australian crew who worked with her while filming on Australia's Kangaroo Island on Saturday.
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They convinced her there is a subspecies of koala called a 'drop bear' that has venomous fangs and attacks humans - and can sense when its prey is "worried".
She was filmed donning protective armour and goggles before the crew brought out the “drop bear” - which was, in fact, a harmless giant koala.
Vet Garnett Hall spoke to the camera, playing along with the prank.
He told the reporter: “The third most common injury we see from tourists in Australia is actually from a drop bear attack.”
Debi then looked terrified as she was handed the friendly animal.
She told the camera: “I've been told that this is quite a dangerous bear, it's been known to attack people.
“It's called a drop bear because they drop out of the trees to attack people.
“I'm trying not to be worried because I've been told that he can sense if I'm worried.
"I'm not quite sure what it's doing right now."
But as the unwitting reporter begins to panic and squirm, Garnett casually takes the koala back from her before the film crew begin laughing.
Realising she's just been had, Debi bursts out in a fit of giggles, screaming: "You were kidding me! F****** Aussies!"
The video was released by Debi’s cameraman and producer Sean Mulcahy to raise awareness about the estimated 40,000 koalas that have been killed on Kangaroo Island by bushfires, off the south coast of Australia near Adelaide.
It has been shared more than 2,000 times and contains a link to a Kangaroo Island's Wildlife Park's page
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The species could soon be classified as endangered, as so many have been killed by the bushfires tearing through the country.
The worrying news comes as the country's environment minister Sussan Ley said the animals have taken an "extraordinary hit" in recent weeks.
The wildfires are thought to have killed off a third of Australia's Koala population.
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