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Lucky the Koala

Posted in NEWS by AnnieFox on Jul 16, 09:00AM
Lucky the Koala
CANBERRA (Reuters) - A koala that cheated death after being hit by a car at 100 kmh  and dragged with his head jammed through the vehicle grill for 12 kms is being dubbed Australia's luckiest marsupial.

The eight-year-old male koala, named "Ely 'Lucky' Grills" by rescuers, was struck by an unwitting motorist north of Brisbane and found only when the car stopped after being flagged down by another vehicle.

"To have him survive and virtually unscathed is quite miraculous," Australian Wildlife Hospital spokewoman Carolyn Beaton told Reuters on Tuesday.

"Lucky" hung on during his ordeal with one arm and his trapped head, and was freed with household scissors used like a fireman's "jaws-of-life" to cut around the car's mesh grill with the horrified owner's permission, Beaton said.

"Whilst Lucky was in shock, he quickly recovered and was nearly better after a couple of hours rest and a feed," she said.

Lucky will stay at the hospital, set up by the late television wildlife and crocodile crusader Steve Irwin, for 45 days to recover from his experience and receive treatment for a chlamydial infection.

(Reporting by Rob Taylor; Editing by David Fox)

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Reader comments (3)

JiMBOB Royalty JiMBOB ON 16 Jul 2008 08:53:06AM they should be handing out condoms to Koalas... dirty wife swapping animals....

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Kinna Royalty Kinna ON 16 Jul 2008 09:28:37AM i was once dragged 12km by a koala, but you dont see me bragging about it

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PWiiNCezz-R New citizen PWiiNCezz-R ON 05 Aug 2008 06:52:40PM OMG! iiM sO happy he surviiveD! aaww he'sz sO cutee!

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MorganCampbell - Morgan Campbell is a professional skateboarder / writer / film-maker who has been habitually traveling the globe for the past 15 years. He currently lives in Melbourne, and is always up for an adventure or a lurk. A street skater’s canvas is the city, so his blog will no doubt feature some urban beauty as well as some randomness. Nike SB’s month of Oz web...

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