Baby koala hugs mum during her life-saving surgery

 By 
Tricia Gilbride
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

A little koala joey has a promising career as a medical professional should he choose to take that route. After successfully assisting during his mum's surgery by providing cuddles, the little guy has proven to be both useful and adorable.

Lizzy the koala was hit by a car on the Warrego Highway in Coominya, Australia, according to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital's Facebook page. Her joey, Phantom, was unscathed, but Lizzy suffered facial trauma and a collapsed lung.

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Phantom is only six months old and too young to be without mum, so the doctors let him stick around for the live-saving procedure, perched on mum's neck. His hugs seemed to do the trick, and Lizzy is on the road to recovery.

Dr. Phantom the koala to the rescue.

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