Tourists’ Cuddling Too Hard On Koalas

It’s almost too much to bear: An Australian state on Monday banned koala cuddling.

It seems the teddy-bear lookalikes suffer anxiety attacks when tourists pick them up at zoos to pose for pictures.

“Passing koalas around a crowd of tourists causes unacceptable stress to the animal,” said Richard Amery, agriculture minister for New South Wales, which ordered the ban after a long campaign by animal rights groups.

Although tourists won’t be allowed to hold koalas, they can still stroke or pet them. They will also be permitted to put their arms around a koala, the law specifies, as long as it remains on a tree branch.