Heidi the opossum dies
"We carried out every possible test and treatment," zoo director Joerg Junhold said in a statement. "We made the final decision ... to relieve the animal from suffering and pain."
Within minutes of the announcement, Heidi was trending on Twitter and thousands of fans were leaving an outpouring of condolences on her Facebook page.
"How sad," wrote Rene Schaaf, from Heidi's home city of Leipzig. "This lovable creature enriched our daily lives, showing us that
'imperfect' can also be interesting and even beautiful."
Heidi first attracted attention at the end of last year after she was featured on a local television report about the nocturnal enclosure where she spent her final days.
A clip of the report went viral, giving rise to a fan page on Facebook that attracted more than 332,000 admirers from across the globe.