<h1>Phew, what a scorcher: The koala who cooled down by taking a cold bath in a bucket
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<p> By <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Mail+Foreign+Service" class="author" rel="nofollow">Mail Foreign Service</a>
<br /> Last updated at 1:31 AM on 05th February 2009
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<p class="MsoNormal">He had lost his mother, didn't know the way to his tree and felt very hot and ill.
<br />Nothing that a nice cold bath could not fix.
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<p class="MsoNormal">This baby koala was forced to take refuge from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region>'s heatwave in a bucket of water placed out by some friendly neighbours in Maude, near <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.
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<p class="MsoNormal">First, he stuck his tongue in for a drink and then clambered in himself to cool off. <o:p></o:p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">He sat in the bucket and waited quietly, with a very drippy muzzle, until wildlife officers arrived to rescue him.When he has recovered he will be returned to his mother, who was waiting in a tree nearby. She had abandoned him after becoming disoriented in the heat. <o:p></o:p>
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<p>The koala takes a cold bath to escape the scorching heat after being abandoned by its mother.
<br />Tracey Young found him huddled beneath a her veranda, shaking and looking very sick.
<br />'The mum had become distressed and disorientated by the heat so she left the baby on its own,' she said.
<br />'They're normally up the tree together, in a pair, and we see them all the time.
<br />'I had to scoop water up in my hand to get it to drink and at first it wasn't very responsive.
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<img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/02/04/article-1135742-034C79E6000005DC-521_468x286.jpg" alt="koala" class="blkBorder" height="286" width="468" />
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<p>Thirsty work: The koala began by having a long drink after becoming dehydrated.
<br />'Eventually it realised the water was in the bowl and it just climbed in itself.
<br />'The kids, being very protective, circled the koala until the wildlife lady came and took it.'
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<p>The koala is being cared for by animal welfare staff until it is strong enough to be released.
<br />Mrs Young, who lives in Maude, a town between Melbourne and Geelong, said its mother had returned to their backyard, apparently waiting for its baby to come back.
<br />Bizarrely, the little koala has now become an internet star after pictures of it in the bucket were emailed around the world.
<br /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s wildlife has been suffering in temperatures which have stayed above 104f (40c) for six days in some parts. Many animals have become dehydrated and perished.
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<img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/02/04/article-1135742-034BA622000005DC-5_468x286.jpg" alt="bucket bear" class="blkBorder" height="286" width="468" />
<p class="imageCaption">... it then appears to check the temperature with a paw before clambering into the bucket
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</h1>
<p> By <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=y&authornamef=Mail+Foreign+Service" class="author" rel="nofollow">Mail Foreign Service</a>
<br /> Last updated at 1:31 AM on 05th February 2009
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<p class="MsoNormal">He had lost his mother, didn't know the way to his tree and felt very hot and ill.
<br />Nothing that a nice cold bath could not fix.
<br />
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This baby koala was forced to take refuge from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region>'s heatwave in a bucket of water placed out by some friendly neighbours in Maude, near <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Melbourne</st1:place></st1:city>.
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First, he stuck his tongue in for a drink and then clambered in himself to cool off. <o:p></o:p>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He sat in the bucket and waited quietly, with a very drippy muzzle, until wildlife officers arrived to rescue him.When he has recovered he will be returned to his mother, who was waiting in a tree nearby. She had abandoned him after becoming disoriented in the heat. <o:p></o:p>
</p>
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<img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/02/04/article-1135742-034BA680000005DC-911_468x307.jpg" alt="koala" class="blkBorder" height="307" width="468" /> </a>
<p>The koala takes a cold bath to escape the scorching heat after being abandoned by its mother.
<br />Tracey Young found him huddled beneath a her veranda, shaking and looking very sick.
<br />'The mum had become distressed and disorientated by the heat so she left the baby on its own,' she said.
<br />'They're normally up the tree together, in a pair, and we see them all the time.
<br />'I had to scoop water up in my hand to get it to drink and at first it wasn't very responsive.
</p>
<p>
<img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/02/04/article-1135742-034C79E6000005DC-521_468x286.jpg" alt="koala" class="blkBorder" height="286" width="468" />
</p>
<p>Thirsty work: The koala began by having a long drink after becoming dehydrated.
<br />'Eventually it realised the water was in the bowl and it just climbed in itself.
<br />'The kids, being very protective, circled the koala until the wildlife lady came and took it.'
</p>
<p>
</p>
<div class="relatedItemsTopBorder"> More...
</div>
<div class="relatedItems">
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1135502/Australian-city-morgue-fills-surge-heat-related-sudden-deaths.html">Australian city morgue fills up after surge in heat-related sudden deaths</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="clear">
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<p>The koala is being cared for by animal welfare staff until it is strong enough to be released.
<br />Mrs Young, who lives in Maude, a town between Melbourne and Geelong, said its mother had returned to their backyard, apparently waiting for its baby to come back.
<br />Bizarrely, the little koala has now become an internet star after pictures of it in the bucket were emailed around the world.
<br /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s wildlife has been suffering in temperatures which have stayed above 104f (40c) for six days in some parts. Many animals have become dehydrated and perished.
</p>
<div class="clear">
</div>
<img src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/02/04/article-1135742-034BA622000005DC-5_468x286.jpg" alt="bucket bear" class="blkBorder" height="286" width="468" />
<p class="imageCaption">... it then appears to check the temperature with a paw before clambering into the bucket
</p>
