VIDEO: Ellenborough Lewis the Koala, who was rescued from Aussie bushfire, dies off extensive burns

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

A koala who captured the hearts of the millions of the people across the world after being rescued from bushfires in Australia by a daring woman has been put to sleep.

Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, where Lewis was kept after his rescue said, “Today we made the decision to put Ellenborough Lewis to sleep. We placed him under general anaesthesia this morning to assess his burns injuries and change the bandages. We recently posted that ‘burns injuries can get worse before they get better.’ In Ellenborough Lewis's case, the burns did get worse, and unfortunately would not have gotten better. The Koala Hospital's number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made. We thank you for your ongoing support.”

The selfless lady, who is identified, as Toni Doherty took of her shirt to rescue the herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, from the fire. The video of the operation went viral with netizens heaping upon praise on the lady.

Meanwhile, an online fundraiser for Koalas injured in devastating bushfires topped $680,000, making it Australia's biggest campaign on the GoFundMe platform this year.

Deadly bushfires have ravaged vast swathes of eastern Australia, and wildlife carers estimate the blazes have killed hundreds of Koalas this month in New South Wales state alone.

A crowdfunding page set up by the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital to provide automatic water drinking stations for wild Koalas soared past Aus$1 million, with donations from more than 20,000 people from countries including the United States, France and England.