Lewis the Koala dies days after being dramatically saved from Australian bushfire

A koala that was rescued from a raging Australian bushfire has died after succumbing to his injuries.

The badly burnt animal, later named Lewis, was caught on camera struggling across blazing bushland in New South Wales.

Spotting it plight, brave onlooker Toni Doherty rushed up to the defenceless creature, wrapping him in her shirt and dousing him with bottles of water.

She then took him to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, where he was treated for his wounds.

The injured koala was treated at Port Macquarie Koala hospital
AFP via Getty Images

But Lewis, 14, was unable to recover from the burns and, after he took “a turn for the worse”, vets were forced to put him down.

“Today we made the decision to put Ellenborough Lewis to sleep,” the hospital said in a statement.

The marsupial was named by his rescuer, Ms Doherty, after one of her grandchildren.

“We placed him under general anaesthesia this morning to assess his burns injuries and change the bandages,” the Port Macquarie statement continued.

“We recently posted that ‘burns injuries can get worse before they get better’. In Ellenborough Lewis's case, the burns did get worse, and unfortunately would not have gotten better.

“The Koala Hospital's number one goal is animal welfare, so it was on those grounds that this decision was made. We thank you for your ongoing support.”

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Lewis made international headlines when footage of his dramatic rescue captured hearts across the world.

Explaining her “instinctual” urge to help him, Ms Doherty told Network Nine she “immediately thought just get to him, put the fire out”.

Toni Doherty was captured on video taking off her shirt and charging into the flames to save the koala

Following the incident, the hospital told 9News Lewis’ health was “50-50”.

"His feet are completely burnt and he has burns to his chest and stomach,” a spokesman said.

Six people have died and more than 500 homes have been lost since a bushfire crisis began ravaging Australia in September.

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