An adorable photo of a koala snapped striking a ‘sexy’ pose while chilling in a tree has gone viral.
The cute photo was taken by Brit Ross Long, 27, who was out on the Gold Coast of Queensland in Australia, when he saw the marsupial relaxing in a tree.
Ross, who is originally from Cornwall but now lives in Sydney, said he reckons the little guy was hoping to attract the attention of a female.
And since posting it on Instagram, it’s picked up thousands of likes and comments.
Ross said: “He’s certainly positioned in a seductive manner as if to say: ‘I’m ready for action’.
“There were other female koalas nearby, so I guess this is his way of letting them know that he was indeed ready.”
The risk analyst, who enjoys taking photos in his spare time, added that the koala was an ideal model, holding his pose for the entire time Ross was snapping.
Ross said; “I’ve never worked with such an easy-going model like this one before, it’s a welcome change from the stuff I usually capture.
“I’m lucky enough to travel around Australia and New Zealand most of the year which gives me plenty of photography opportunities.
“There is just so much variety in Australia; depending on where you go, the animals adapt with the landscape.
“It keeps everything fresh and exciting.”
Ross added: “He looked more chilled than a Friday night of Netflix and chill. Perhaps this explains why chlamydia is such an issue in the koala world?” Yeah, fair point, Ross.
Believe it or not, chlamydia is a massive problem for the Aussie creatures, with the BBC reporting in 2013 that in some parts of Australia up to 90 per cent of koalas have the STI. It can cause blindness and infertility and can even be fatal if not treated.
The strain that infects koalas isn’t the same as the one that humans get, but is transmitted in the same way, and it doesn’t discriminate with male, female and baby koalas all susceptible to the disease.
Thankfully, as in humans, chlamydia is treatable with antibiotics.
