Lewis, the internet
"Lewis" the koala, who was brought to international attention by a viral video of him being rescued from Australia's devastating bushfires, has been euthanised.
Port Macquarie Koala Hospital made the sad announcement yesterday on Facebook, stating that they had placed him under general anaesthetic that morning "to assess his burns injuries [sic] and change the bandages."
"We recently posted that 'burns injuries can get worse before they get better'," wrote the hospital. "In Ellenborough Lewis's case, the burns did get worse, and unfortunately would not have gotten better.
"The Koala Hospital's number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made. We thank you for your ongoing support."
SEE ALSO:Koala hospitals fill with victims as Australia's bushfires rage onNamed for his rescuer Toni Doherty's grandchild, Lewis was found on November 19 in bushland along New South Wales' Oxley Highway, west of Wauchope. Doherty told 9 News two days later that Lewis had left the hospital and was being looked after by a carer, though a hospital spokesperson only gave the koala a 50 percent chance of survival.
Unfortunately it seems his health deteriorated after that, and the hospital was forced to make the difficult decision to put him to sleep. He was 14 years old.
Speaking to Mashable via email, Port Macquarie Koala Hospital's Sue Ashton said the hospital has treated 33 koalas for bushfire-related injuries since the fires began, with three having been euthanised. They believe many more have died without receiving care.
"In the Port Macquarie region we know up to 350 koalas perished in two weeks," said Ashton. "However this is a very conservative number; we think there are a lot more."
"We think the fires have wiped out many wild koala populations with many being incinerated, and burnt to ash. Koalas' gestation is 35 days, and fertile females breed about every 18 months to two years. It will take decades for the wild koala population on the east coast of Australia to recover."
SEE ALSO:Photos show the devastating impact of eastern Australia's bushfiresThis will be made much harder by the omnipresent threat koalas already face from changes in Australia's climate. Speaking to Mashable previously, Currumbin Wildlife Hospital's Dr Michael Pyne said the heat and lack of rain has resulted in less plant life, causing koalas and other native wildlife to die of starvation and dehydration.
"Those that escape the fires, that manage to flee, that manage to move on, they're putting even more strain on an already really struggling habitat that's not sustaining what was there," said Dr Pyne.
Port Macquarie Koala Hospital launched a GoFundMe last October to help address this issue, hoping to raise $25,000 for wildlife drinking stations in burnt out areas. It has now raised almost $1.75 million — 70 times their initial goal.
As a result of this outpouring, the donations will now also finance the establishment of a wild koala breeding program. Ashton states that this program has been brought forward five years, and that they "are hopeful this program ... will rebuild the koala populations decimated by the bushfires."
Australia's bushfires continue to rage across multiple states uncontrolled, and are expected to do so for months. Six people have been confirmed dead and hundreds of homes destroyed, with 2.5 million acres burned in NSW alone.
TopicsAnimals
(责任编辑:关于我们)
- World’s first ‘meltdown
- Atalanta aim to hold historic Serie A lead
- Korean jobless men have hard time getting married: study
- 分享知识与经验 促进发展与提升
- 25 Years Later: A Brief Analysis of GPU Processing Efficiency
- South Korea beefs up drills amid escalating NK provocations
- N.K. says missile test aimed at ports, airfields in the South
- Serie A to introduce semi
- Atalanta aim to hold historic Serie A lead
- 蒙顶山茶有了专属茶器
- 绿化苗木已种超900万株!广东扎实推进绿美乡村建设
- At Women's Marches across the globe, dads were out in full force
- Benfica sink dismal Juve to win 12th straight match
-
By the time I tapped out of Persona 5after 60 hours of a massive high school adventure that I was en ...[详细]
-
N. Korean missile launches 'deeply troubling': U.N. spokesman
North Korea's latest firing of three ballistic missiles is "deeply troubling" and runs counter to ef ...[详细] -
'Me explaining to my mom' memes are the perfect reaction to all our obsessions
Sometimes being a parent is just perfecting the art of smiling and nodding supportively while your k ...[详细] -
Tim Cook: Apple's $1 trillion mcap is not the only measure of success
Tim Cook wants everyone to chill just a bit. In a memo sent to employees and obtained by Reuters, Ap ...[详细] -
Unionized hospital workers pull out from strike
Health care workers at Chosun University Hospital hold signs and chant slogans at the hospital' ...[详细] -
Massive seas of humanity move in these Women's March timelapses
Here's another reminder that the turnout for the hundreds of Women's Marches across the globe Saturd ...[详细] -
Scandals show Park's grip fading
The ongoing allegations involving several of President Park Geun-hye’s top aides have added to her g ...[详细] -
The Away Mode Alexa app is a humorous attempt to stop burglars
You can get smart lights and plugs to simulate you being home when you're out, but that costs a lot ...[详细] -
Yoon, US Senate's armed service committee chief discuss alliance, N.K. threats
President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) shakes hands with Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the US Senate's a ...[详细] -
Donald Trump gives his Jim Halpert impression a try at inauguration
Did Donald Trump just start watching The Office?Just before taking the platform to deliver his inaug ...[详细]
- Get Thee to Totality: Chicago
- DC’s ‘Doom Patrol’ is the rare superhero show that understands trauma
- Android users get YouTube's dark mode
- Pakistani footballer Mishal happy to move like Ramos
- Police bust crypto scammer who received plastic surgery to evade arrest
- 发展县域房地产 缓解市区住房供需压力
- Apple officially becomes the first $1 trillion company