Koala Anecdote

kayay kindly let me know the anecdote behind the CFA guy and the koala ...

David Tree noticed the koala moving gingerly on scorched paws as his fire patrol passed. Clearly in pain, the animal stopped when it saw Tree.

"It was amazing, he turned around, sat on his bum and sort of looked at me with (a look) like, put me out of my misery," Tree told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I yelled out for a bottle of water. I unscrewed the bottle, tipped it up on his lips and he just took it naturally. "He kept reaching for the bottle, almost like a baby."

The team called animal welfare officers to pick up the koala Sunday, the day after deadly firestorms swept southern Victoria state.

( pic is under the cut )

SAM the Koala is a she, and she's doing fine!

Thank you so much to vida_boheme for the link. You rock! You can watch the whole heart-warming event in action ...

ETA: I'm re-posting the various links for donations to the bushfire victims, both human and bush babies here. It appears the CFA itself is not set up for electronic international donations unless you have an Australian bank account but they direct you to the Red Cross, as well.

The Australian Red Cross's Victorian Bushfires Appeal is probably the best place, if you have a credit card and can afford it. Also, the forms are internationally friendly.

Another alternative is The Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation Bushfire Appeal 2009, which will go to a range of charities helping the victims directly on site.

And for any touched by the plight of the animals there's Wildlife Victoria. Thanks to ancientcitadel for the link.

Lastly, the Herald Sun have realised they could generate money out of this photo and are offering 5x7 copies for $20 per copy here. All proceeds go to the The CFA apparently.


And for an update on Sam the Koala's condition ...

( pics and info ... )