Tonka (wombat)
Tonka († June 2016) was a wombat in the Billabong Sanctuary in the Australian state of Queensland . Tonka made headlines around the world in 2011 after the zoo was devastated by Cyclone Yasi and the animal fell into a depression . His death in June 2016 received a lot of coverage on social media.
Tonka was popular with visitors to the zoo because of his trustworthiness. He let himself be petted, played with a teddy bear and watched television with the park rangers . Tonka had been raised by hand after his mother was run over by a car.
After the devastating cyclone Yasi, the zoo had to close for ten weeks in 2011. During this time Tonka refused to eat and lost weight. It wasn't until the park reopened that Tonka came out of the depression.
In June 2016, the Australian zoo announced Tonka's death on Facebook . He was euthanized from kidney failure when he was seven years old. There were numerous expressions of grief from all over the world on social networks.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d David Chen: Beloved Queensland wombat Tonga dies in sanctuary, hundreds pay tribute on social media . ABC News, June 19, 2016 (English).
- ↑ a b Social media users mourn popular 'cuddle-loving' Australia wombat . BBC, June 20, 2016 (English).
- ↑ Why Australia mourns Wombat Tonga . Augsburger Allgemeine , June 20, 2016.