Please view on black.
I converted the raw image to bw and just spent a little time learning my new version of PS as I contemplated the koala situation in Australia. Howzat was not a well fella. He was quite new to the property and I watched him seem a bit 'flat'. Wednesday morning I had a sixth sense to go check on him around midday and found him just sitting at the base of a tree. So I took him in and sadly he had pneumonia and his gut was shutting down.
He was euthanased as rehabilitating wild animals in captivity with such serious illnesses does not have good outcomes. I'm glad he was saved a slow painful decline, he was grinding his teeth which koalas do when they are in pain so it was not good for him at all.
Thank you for the awesome comments and questions here on my project, I'm so grateful to live in the koalas backyard and be able to share them with you all.
I am sorry to hear your sad news. I am glad that you thought about him and went to check on him. I know that would be hard on you, but I hope that the thoughts that you help spare him suffering will help!
@skipt07 thank you Skip. it is hard, but I work voluntarily in wild koala rescue and rehabilitation as well as doing my own habitat regeneration. we learn to accept the losses and go wild celebrating the wins - like 3 huge wins on my property that are Bullet (dog attack survivor), Krissy (chlamydia survivor) and Dodge (car hit survivor). Then knowing he was spared suffering really does help. Thanks for caring :)
I saddens me to hear you lost on of your precious koala bears, but good to know you went to check on Howzat and that he was spared a painful agonizing death. my thoughts are with you.
@pusspup oh no, he didn't have the flu, he had pneumonia - this is a chlamydial infection caused by a particular variety of chlamydia that is not as common in koalas - chlamydia pneumoniae. quite different to the influenza virus.
Aw as much as you usually post all the happy koalas, I'm sure there are lots behind the scenes that you don't, but it puts things in perspective and your posts are always very educational and informative! You can tell you care deeply for each and every one and I'm sure your heart is heavy, but he's no longer suffering which makes it a tiny bit easier. (((hugs)))