Please pray for Sam the koala
Sam the koala faces new battle for survival after illness
SAM the koala, whose rescue by a CFA firefighter during Victoria's bushfires made world headlines, is facing a new battle for survival.
Despite making a strong recovery at the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter, Sam the koala - captured in heartwarming photos and video that helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the CFA - is now facing a life-threatening illness.
She is expected to undergo surgery this week to treat cysts as a result of urogenital chlamydiosis, a life-threatening disease that can cause infertility, urinary tract infections and blindness.
Surgeons say Sam, who was plucked from the scorched earth by volunteer David Tree, faces the real risk that she will not survive the operation.
Koalas have low survival rates for abdominal surgery.
Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter spokesman Nic Pullen said the turn of events was extremely distressing.
"Sam was making good progress with her recovery, her burns had healed and she had even developed a strong maternal instinct taking care of some of the orphaned joey's admitted to the shelter over the past several months,” Mr Pullen said today.
“The discovery of cyst's due to Chlamydia is very upsetting for everyone involved in Sam's recovery."
Up to 50 per cent of the koala population is affected by the disease, with past vaccines proving unsuccessful.
Sam’s image was flashed around the world, while a video of Mr Tree crouching down to offer the furry marsupial a gulp from his water bottle is among the most watched videos on heraldsun.com.au
The pair became accidental symbols of the devastating bushfires when Mr Tree found an exhausted Sam in the middle of burnt-out bush in Mirboo North.
Mr Pullen said Sam’s prospects would be known by Friday.
Sam the koala faces new battle for survival after illness | Herald Sun