The zoo officials are seeking to make the last days of the animal as comfortable and pleasant as possible.
The Riverbanks Zoo’s only male koala is reportedly suffering from terminal cancer. The zoo officials are seeking to make the last days of the animal as comfortable and pleasant as possible. A large node or lymphoma has been discovered on the neck of the animal, which has been developing rapidly.
Even though surgeries have been performed to remove the node, the animal is not expected to live for more than a few weeks as the node is reported to be cancerous. Corticosteroids will be administered to Mirai, the koala, which will only serve to contain the disease and not act as a cure. Mirai will no longer be available for public viewing, even though it will be allowed to mate with the two female koalas in the zoo.Treatments like chemotherapy which are used on human beings are not effective against koalas. The animal has also attracted a lot of public attention. The facilities and procedures at the zoo are not reported to be responsible for the animal’s condition. The life span of koalas is only 10 years. The zoo has two females of the species. It is not yet clear if the zoo will get another male koala.
