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Animal welfare agency appeals for mittens to help koalas burnt in Australian bushfires

Xinhua, January 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

An international animal welfare agency has appealed for help for koalas injured in the Victorian and South Australian bushfires - through the donation of mittens for their burnt paws.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) launched the initiative on Friday, saying a number of the slow-moving marsupials had been injured in the bushfires which had ravaged large tracts of land in southern Australia.

The fund has asked volunteers to make up paw protectors to be used over bandages.

"The treatment for burns in a koala is very similar to the treatment of burns in a human being," Jilea Carney of the IFAW said on Friday.

"It's a regime of infection control, applying burns cream, bandages."

The IFAW said they expected more injured koalas to be discovered, and brought in for treatment, as fire-affected areas were opened up to rescuers searching for injured animals.

"Already koalas have come into care in Victoria and in South Australia firefighters and members of the public are reported to have helped displaced and exhausted koalas by providing water and a respite from the heat," it said.

"Many koalas perish in bushfires, while the lucky ones that survive are often badly injured and need intensive treatment by vets and dedicated wildlife carers. Injured koalas typically come into care with severe burns, especially on their paws, caused by contact with burning trees or from fleeing across fire grounds."

"These injuries need treatment with burns cream and paws need to be protected with special cotton mittens."

Josey Sharrad, an IFAW native wildlife campaigner, said a plentiful supply of these mittens was needed throughout the bushfire season.

"Just like any burns victim, koalas' dressings need changing daily, meaning a constant supply of mittens is needed by wildlife carers. Some burned koalas can take up to a year to fully recover, " she said.

Sharrad appealed to people to use clean, 100 percent cotton to create mittens. "Maybe you have some old cotton sheets or tea towels just check that the material is 100 percent cotton," Sharrad said. Endi