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| Koala seen in rescue from Australian bushfire dies | Koala seen in rescue from Australian bushfire dies |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A koala which drew wide attention after being rescued from an Australian bushfire has died, after failing to recover from its burns. | |
| The koala, dubbed Lewis, had been taken to an animal hospital last week after a woman plucked it from a tree in burning bushland in New South Wales. | |
| Video of the rescue - which shows Toni Doherty using her shirt to wrap up the koala - was viewed globally. | Video of the rescue - which shows Toni Doherty using her shirt to wrap up the koala - was viewed globally. |
| Vets said the marsupial was put down because its burns were not improving. | Vets said the marsupial was put down because its burns were not improving. |
| "[Our] number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made," said Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. | "[Our] number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made," said Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. |
| Six people have died and more than 500 homes have been lost since a bushfire crisis began ravaging Australia in September. | Six people have died and more than 500 homes have been lost since a bushfire crisis began ravaging Australia in September. |
| 'It was just so heart-rending' | 'It was just so heart-rending' |
| In the video, Ms Doherty is seen pouring water over the distressed animal in an attempt to cool it. | |
| She told local news outlets she had been driving through the forest when she spotted the koala among the flames and heard its cries. | She told local news outlets she had been driving through the forest when she spotted the koala among the flames and heard its cries. |
| "I didn't realise they could cry out. It was just so heart-rending and I knew I needed to get him out of there as quickly as possible," Ms Doherty told Nine News. | "I didn't realise they could cry out. It was just so heart-rending and I knew I needed to get him out of there as quickly as possible," Ms Doherty told Nine News. |
| The 14-year-old koala had significant burns to its chest, feet and other parts of its body, vets said. | The 14-year-old koala had significant burns to its chest, feet and other parts of its body, vets said. |
| The hospital has treated dozens of koalas injured from the bushfires which have burnt through more than a million hectares in New South Wales alone. | The hospital has treated dozens of koalas injured from the bushfires which have burnt through more than a million hectares in New South Wales alone. |
| The blazes continue to burn and officials warn that the worst of Australia's season is still to come. | The blazes continue to burn and officials warn that the worst of Australia's season is still to come. |