Sam and Bob Update

[liresius]

Snippets of news ... mashed from NZ Herald AP and newser

Caretaker Lynn Raymond said Thursday, "Bob is her protector - as soon as she is moved, he's on the move, too. It really looks like he's making sure she's OK. They're good company for each other."

Neither koala is likely to be healthy enough for release for at least four months, and are being comforted by caretakers who salve their scorched paws every few hours.

Both Sam and Bob were given painkillers when they first arrived, but they're off the drugs now, Raymond said. The two are still receiving antibiotics and have their bandages changed regularly to stave off infections.

The koalas are likely to be in the shelter at least four months, depending on how quickly their burns heal, Raymond said. For now, though, the famously thirsty marsupial appears to be on the mend.

"I'm just looking at Sam now - she is fast asleep," Raymond said. "She's doing very, very well."

Sam and Tree were reunited at the shelter on Wednesday, a meeting that left the 44-year-old firefighter fighting back tears.

"When I saw her, I was just overwhelmed," Tree said Thursday. "I got a bit choked up, got a bit of a gut rise."

Tree was relieved to see his little friend doing so well, and plans to give her a cage that currently houses his 11-year-old daughter's canary. "We'll worry about the canary later," he said.

Ed. It would be a big cage!! I'm sure they wouldn't cramp her up in something tiny. I had a huge aviary for my 2 budgies when I was a kid. Just saying ...
Tree told the AP on Thursday the intensity of the media interest in the koala's rescue caught him completely by surprise, but he was concerned that it did not overshadow the tragedy of the lives and property lost in the blazes.

or you can watch it in better quality Here on news.com.au And just to take the focus from Sam and show that the awful hurt is not restricted to cute koalas, there's another vid interviewing a vet at work taking care of other burnt animals. Warning: It may distress some people, although it's nothing too graphic.

There's also a gallery of Sam and Bob pics here but I've posted the newer ones I haven't previously posted behind the cut.

Tree and Sam have a noserub

David Tree strokes Sam in kitchen

Bob cuddles Sam

photo from The Daily News

Sam and Bob in cage

Sam and Bob nuzzle

Sam back on a normal diet (not drinking water)

Comments

[xanthelj.livejournal.com]

Thank you for giving us more on Sam! She's become quite the superstar! I loved the video clip - she really does seem to be recovering well. She's such a solemn little thing and takes everything in her stride. i love the photos of her with Bob as well. They've both been through so much - it's nice they've found each other to cling to. It must be such a strange life they're leading now compared to how they lived before.

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she's become quite the celeb! :) It's been a nice thing to see how she's touched people's hearts, although there was some negative stuff with a crass and tasteless caption of her and the CFA worker on one website.

It is lovely they've made friends after the trauma each have been through.

I think it must be quite strange for them, but they seem as if they are taking all the human contact in stride.

[bluespirit-star.livejournal.com]

Oh, L - thank you so much for the update. It's wonderful to see Sam (Sammy! Hee!) doing so well & hearing about her & Bob. The vid clip was lovely & so are the pics. I do hope that Sam & Bob will be released together as they've obviously bonded so well.
I watched the other vid too (through my fingers at first because I was a bit worried) & it was so great to see other hurt animals being so well cared for.
♥

[liresius.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! I'm so glad to see them on the road to recovery, it's nice to share that.

Yes, me too re the release. I'm not sure if they will, though it makes sense that they would, now they have bonded. They are from different areas, but are genetically similar apparently, so they said it's a possibility they will mate. I think that might override putting them back in their separate territories when they get foliated again.

Yes, the first kangaroo in that other vid made me a bit choked up and was a little distressing, but overall it was ok. I just thought I should put a warning, as even tough old me was affected.

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for another update. It is so heart-warming and reassuring to see such pictures and clips.

Lovely.

It's so sweet how Bob and Sam have found one another. I do hope they'll now be released together. I know earlier on it was said that Bob would be released before Sammy, but now they are so close I really hope they don't separate them.

[liresius.livejournal.com]

You're welcome! it's so happy-making to see them both recovering.

Yes, I am guessing they will release them together. I'm just concerned maybe there is a practice of releasing them back into their original territories. I am hoping the bond they've formed overrides that possibility.

They wouldn't want to break up a loving couple now, would they? *g*

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

It is indeed.

That might be the case. But I would have thought that if they have bonded so much, it would be cruel to separate them just to stick with the 'rule'.

Indeed not.

[liresius.livejournal.com]

Well, I think they'll use their best judgement.

... they've also mentioned they'll be ready to release at different times, so I hope they manage to keep them together regardless of that too.

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

I do hope so.

Yes, that was the bit that worried me more, the fact that he'll be ready before her. But that won't be for a while yet, so . . .

[amalthia]

thanks for posting the pictures and the clips. I'm not sure why when I saw the original photo of Sam and the Firefighter it just really drew my notice and it gave me hope.

[liresius.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome. It's a nice bright spot in a time of awful news for many, I guess.