Pets give some of the greatest greetings their family and friends will ever receive—seeing a dog jumping for joy to see their favorite person will never get old—but the same can’t be said for other animals. Farm animals, for example, don’t make a big deal out of seeing people they know. Every now and then, though, animals just can’t help but overreact.
A recent viral video from Australia proves just how dramatic animals can be when a herd of cows loses its cool over an unwelcome visitor. The poor little koala was sitting frozen in the grass when the bossy bovines started yelling, but luckily for everyone, their farmer wasn’t far behind.
It’s a good thing they didn’t overreact! This herd of excitable cows reminded me of a classroom of elementary school kids when someone turns out the lights: chaotic, but harmless. Some may have been building up the courage to inch closer to the intruder, but plenty of the cows were already headed in the opposite direction.
“Cows are such busy bodies,” explained @cherriw1. That’s one way to put it!
Related: Bindi Sue Irwin Shares Photos of Rescued Orphaned Koala Baby and We’re Obsessed
Even though these nosy cows want to know what’s going on, they’re also completely panicked over the strange creature in their pasture. To be fair, that’s a normal reaction to seeing a stranger in your home! Considering they’ve likely never seen a koala before, it’s a wonder how they’re not entirely across the field already.
As another commenter claimed, “They’re just trying to spend koala-ty time together.” I see what you did there!
Even if the cows were simply expressing their curiosity in an odd way, the farmer was wise to move the marsupial to the trees as soon as possible. There may have been that hilarious mishap on the four-wheeler, but everyone was safe and sound at the end of the day.
A Koala’s Life
Koalas are an endangered species found only in the wild in Australia, which is why their conservation is so important. They’ve lost much of their habitat due to wildfires and deforestation, and Koala Conservation Australia lists humans as their main predators. With people’s help, however, koalas can continue to survive both in captivity and in the wild.
Because most of a koala’s life is spent in the trees (KCA notes that they sleep up to 18 hours per day!), forests and woodlands are essential to their wellbeing. They also eat the leaves of several tree species, including eucalyptus and sweet gum, though they are just as agile on the ground as they are when climbing.
The quick-thinking farmer in this video did the right thing by returning the koala to the trees, where it won’t be bothered by people, vehicles, or unhappy cows.
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This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Nov 11, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.