Feb 6, 2009: Hot and wet ... koala.

[classicman]

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[ZenGum]

Sam the koala, made famous by footage of her drinking from a firefighter's water bottle during Victoria's bushfires, has died.

The badly burned koala became a symbol of hope for the survivors of the deadly bushfires that killed 173 people and left 7,500 homeless.

But just months after her rescue from the fires, Sam was diagnosed with cysts linked to the life-threatening disease chlamydia that has ravaged the koala population.

The four-year-old koala was due to have surgery on Thursday to remove the cysts but John Butler of the Morwell Vet Clinic discovered Sam had severe changes in her urinary and reproductive tract that were non-operable.

"Unfortunately Sam has been put to sleep. It's very, very sad," said Peita Elkhorne of TressCox Lawyers on behalf of the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter.

"It was so severe that there was no possible way to be able to manage her pain."

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he was sad to hear of Sam's death.

"When I travelled to London for the G20 summit in early April, the symbol of hope for so many people around the world was the great picture of that wonderful koala being fed water by one of our firefighters," he said.

"I think that gave people of the world a great sense that this country Australia could come through those fires.

"Sam the koala was part of the symbolism of that and it's tragic Sam the koala is no longer with us."

This makes me sad; but at least she was given a quick humane end rather than the slow unpleasant one she would have met in the wild.

[Sundae]

Awwwwwwww. Still, like you say - nature is cruel and at least any pain is over.

Ali's boys sent me a koala (toy) which is Diz's new best friend.
He doesn't worry it at all, but if it's anywhere in the house other than the drawer under my bed (Diz's current sleeping space of choice) Diz will search and remedy.

But the thing is, when it arrived, I commented to my Dad on the incongruity of receiving a koala from an Australian. For the split second of time I was speaking rather than thinking, I had decided that they were a Kiwi creature...

(Please note - Australia and New Zealand have very close ties with the UK - I for one have a Kiwi Auntie by marriage - this really was just a brain fart rather than ignorance!)