Female koala dies at Dresden Zoo

Dresden Zoo is mourning the loss of its female koala Sydney. The marsupial was unable to recover after an emergency operation and died on Monday night, the zoo announced. Sydney came to Dresden from Antwerp Zoo in 2019 when she was just under two years old. Here she was supposed to have offspring with male koala Mullaya. However, the female remained infertile due to a malformation.

According to the zoo, Sydney had recently suffered from repeated urinary incontinence. A CT scan last Friday revealed a highly filled urinary bladder as well as blocked ureters and renal pelvis, the zoo announced. As a result, it was decided to perform an emergency operation to provide relief.

"Although the operation itself was a success, Sydney did not fully recover from the procedure afterwards and required intensive care and attention in the days that followed," the statement concluded. Unfortunately, her condition continued to deteriorate towards the end. A year ago, koalas gave birth for the first time at Dresden Zoo.