SAM the Koala has been immortalised alongside Phar Lap in the Melbourne Museum.
The Mirboo North marsupial shot to fame after an image of her drinking from local fire fighter David Tree’s water bottle was circulated around the world.
She died weeks after the Victorian bushfires, but the famous image helped lift spirits and raise money in the wake of the devastating summer bushfire of 2009.
A taxidermist has stuffed Sam’s body and placed it on a tree trunk, which will be displayed in the foyer of the museum.
Mr Tree said the exhibit will keep the image of Sam alive for those who were touched by her plight during the fires.
“I think this will give people the chance to get up close and personal with what happened if they can’t visit Kinglake or Marysville,” he said.
“It just shows you not only do humans suffer in bushfires, but so do our native wildlife.”
Victoria’s Arts Minister Lynne Kosky was on hand to launch the new exhibit.
“The images of Sam and her rescuers came to define the wonderful spirit of community and friendship that is now helping Victoria rebuild – and I commend the people who worked so hard to care for her,” Ms Kosky said.
“It is fitting that Sam will have a permanent home in the Melbourne Museum where children and families will be able to visit her and learn about her story.”
Museum Victoria CEO, J Patrick Greene, said for millions of people here in Australia and overseas, Sam the Koala represents the tragic impact of the summer 2009 bushfires on people’s lives.
“Sam became a symbol of the enormous loss felt by so many in the aftermath of last year’s terrible bushfires, and for this reason I believe it’s important that visitors from Victoria, across Australia and from overseas can see Sam and be reminded of her story and the events of Black Saturday,” Dr Greene said.
“At the museum, Sam will help visitors of all ages to reflect on events, such as natural disasters, that shape our lives.”
Sam’s public story started a week before Black Saturday when she was filmed drinking from a firefighter’s water bottle after being caught in a controlled back-burning operation.
On February 6, Sam was located on Samson Road, Mirboo North, by Wildlife Rescue and Protection (WRAP) volunteers and taken to the Southern Ash Wildlife Shelter (SAWS), a shelter specialising in the treatment of burns. Sam was among more than 100 fire-injured koalas cared for at SAWS following the bushfires.
Sam recovered from her burns but sadly was later euthanised due to Chlamydiosis, a disease which is widespread in koalas and is exacerbated by loss of habitat. Sam’s display at Melbourne Museum will help educate visitors about how environmental change – including climate change – is affecting Australia’s native flora and fauna, particularly through drought and bushfire.
Visitors to Melbourne Museum can see Sam the Koala in the main foyer of Melbourne Museum.
Admission to the main foyer is free.
In late March Sam will move to the Victorian environment section of Wild: Amazing animals in a changing world, the Museum’s latest exhibition.
Sam will be part of a display teaching visitors about biodiversity and issues such as climate change and population growth.
