The Region - News from Jan. 27, 1986

San Diego Zoo officials found cancer throughout the body of Matilda, the 11-year-old koala who died last week and was the mother of a rare albino koala baby. A necropsy showed that cancer had invaded several organs of the elderly koala, a veterinarian said. The cancer could have caused the anemia detected in Matilda. Officials have not yet determined the exact nature of the cancer. The father of the 10-month-old albino also died during a procedure to check his blood for a possible transfusion to Matilda. Pooya suffered respiratory arrest while anesthetized. The necropsy on the 5-year-old Pooya showed no physical abnormalities.