Koalas in the wild will normally have nothing to do with humans. The devastating fires in Australia are an extraordinary situation, which drove a little female koala named Sam to seek help from a firefighter. A picture taken of the event has made Sam an international star. Firefighter David Tree tells the story.
“I could see she had sore feet and was in trouble, so I pulled over the fire truck. She just plonked herself down, as if to say ‘I’m beat’,” he said.
“I offered her a drink and she drank three bottles.
“The most amazing part was when she grabbed my hand. I will never forget that.”
Sam now lives at the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter, where she was treated for burned paws. She is expected to recover and could be released back into the wild in about five months.
