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Flash the koala showed strong signs of recovery on November 26, after being severely burnt in the Hillville bushfire near Taree, on the New South Wales Mid North Coast, weeks earlier.

A carer at the Port Stephens Koala hospital filmed Flash hungrily shovelling gum leaves into his mouth after having his wounds changed.

“He did go off his food the other day but I’m thinking that was a little blip because I’m so pleased he’s chomping now,” the carer says in the video.

“We’re winning so far,” she says.

“His hands and feet looks absolutely 10 time better,” she adds as Flash uses his mitten-clad paws to rumage for a better clump of leaves.

“I know what it’s like to be in hospital and most of the time the food’s disgusting. So we’re trying to give him the best food we can find. This is like Harrods on a tree,” the carer adds.

Port Stephens Koalas said it relies heavily on the donations from members of the community and urged donators to provide cash through the website rather than send in items.

“Sadly we can’t use many of these items for specialised treatments”.

Meanwhile, another problem was looming for the sanctuary as many of the koalas being treated would not be able to return to habitats destroyed in the November fires.

“Many of these burns victims will be displaced for many, many months to come while we wait for their habitat to regrow. They have their own specific territories and it’s important that they return to it. Thinking ahead we’re already scratching our heads and planning on how we can accommodate them during this period which will also incur a further expense.” Credit: Port Stephens Koalas via Storyful