Koalas burned in Australian brushfires need mittens for recovery

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Friday, January 9, 2015
Jeremy, a koala being treated at the AMWRRO clinic, after suffering burns from wildfires in southern Australia.
Australian Marine Wildlife Research & Rescue Organisation Inc. (AMWRRO)

Do you have some extra cotton clothing lying around your house? Good, because now you can help out koala wildfire victims who need mittens for their burns.

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The International Fund for Animal Welfare is asking for donations for Koala mittens to help the injured animals survive through 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," Josey Sharrad, IFAW native wildlife campaigner, said in a press release.

The IFAW is asking the public to donate koala mittens made from scraps of clean, 100 percent cotton fabric by following their guide.

"Maybe you have some old cotton sheets or tea towels - just check that the material is 100 percen cotton . . . these mittens are simple to make even if you've never sewn before. Just check out IFAW's koala mitten pattern," Sharrad said.

On Thursday, the Australian Marine Wildlife Research & Rescue Organization, or AMWRRO, posted an image of Jeremy, a young male koala who was victim of the wildfires and was sewn mittens to help with his wounds. The AMWRRO is also asking for donations to help the injured animals.

Check out the links below to learn how you can help out the injured koalas.

International Fund for Animal Welfare website.

AMWRRO website.

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