Tragic Death of Sam the Bushfire Koala

He was a symbol of hope and resilience during the despair of the bushfires that ravaged Victoria in February of this year. Tragically, though he survived the bushfires that claimed so many lives, he died of a very common disease that is striking down the Koala population - chlamydia.

Sam the Koala at the moment of rescue by firefighter David Tree.

Images of the koala being offered water from a firefighter’s bottle were screened across the world and both koala and firefighter David Tree became iconic symbols of hope.

Sam was taken to the Southern Ash Wildlife Centre where she was making good progress, however vets at the centre discovered that Sam had cysts due to chlamydia.  Surgery was due to commence today but complications were discovered that meant her bladder and uterus were badly affected and the decision was made to put her to sleep.

Dr John Butler the vet responsible for the decision said: “The changes were consistent with the Chlamydia infection. It was so severe that there was no possible way to be able to manage her pain.”

The firefighter who rescued Sam, David Tree, was said to be devastated at the news: “It’s like it’s not worth it now, that she managed to survive the fires but die from a disease that they should be able to vaccinate her against,” he said.  “I’m sobbing like a baby and I am a grown man.

She meant so much – she highlighted the plight and vulnerability of Australian wildlife around the world.”

Up to 50% of the population of koalas are affected by the disease.  A vaccine that was developed at the Queensland University of Technology last year showed promising results, but the project was struggling to secure funding.

The koala population has been steadily falling, largely due to habitat loss.  Around 80% of their forest ecosystems have been destroyed, mainly by agriculture, urban development and even home-building. Most of the remaining 20% is in private hands, which means that valuable wooded areas are not being protected.

On top of this, koalas are often attacked by domestic pets or hit by cars.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described Sam as a symbol of hope for people around the world and he was saddened to hear of her death.

We can only hope that her death highlights the many threats to Australian wildlife.  If you’d like to make a donation to the Southern Ash Wildlife Centre in Victoria you can do so here.

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