Doctors help an injured Australian Koala.

Tree says he's spoken to wildlife officials, and the koala, nicknamed Sam, is doing fine. And it turns out he's a she.

The rescue was one small bright moment in Australia's wildfire tragedy. Thousands of hectares (acres) have been burned out, almost 1,000 homes destroyed and more than 180 people killed.

Countless animals were killed in the disaster, which hit farming and forest regions to the north and east of the Victoria state capital of Melbourne, and many more fled in panic.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals said it was establishing shelters to care for thousands of pets and livestock affected by the disaster.