Australia fires: Water warning after Arnie the koala 'drowns to death'

Animal experts in Australia have issued a warning after a rescued koala "drowned to death" after drinking water from a bottle.

Several heart-warming posts have emerged on social media showing rescuers coming to the aid of thirsty marsupials by giving them bottled water.

But an animal rescue centre has spoken out against the practice after one of the rescued animals, Arnie, died after being given water in the incorrect way.

Experts say that, when koalas take in too much water by holding up their head rather than being hunched over a bowl, the water can get into their lungs and cause aspiration pneumonia.

Animalia Wildlife Shelter said Arnie was initially saved after losing his mother in a bushfire in Victoria’s East Gippsland.

But rescuers gave him water from a bottle rather than a bowl of water, which turned out to be fatal for the animal.

“He was found by some very caring people who did what any human would do when they find a distressed animal, and offered him a drink from their bottle of water,” the group wrote on Facebook.

“They were just trying to help. They didn’t know that it is dangerous for Koala’s to drink this way. They didn’t know that Koala’s usually get most of their water via the gum leaves that they eat and they don’t often drink water, but when they do, they are face down and lapping small amounts with their tongue.

“They didn’t know that when a Koala holds it head up and takes in too much water, it can easily get into their lungs and cause Aspiration Pneumonia, which is usually fatal. This is exactly what happened to little Arnie.”