
Heidi the cross-eyed opossum has been put down in Germany to ease her suffering.
The visually challenged critter who became an Internet sensation - she had three times as many Facebook fans as Chancellor Angela Merkel - passed away today.
'The cross-eyed opossum Heidi has closed her eyes for ever,' said the zoo in Leipzig, eastern Germany.
The animal, aged three-and-a-half, had been treated for health problems for weeks and zoo officials decided to put her down 'to spare her further pain and suffering'.
Heidi’s distinctive eye problem was thought to be due to a poor diet before she was abandoned in the United States, or because she is overweight, leading to fat deposits behind her eyes.
Leipzig Zoo said she suffered badly from arthritis. While treatment for her maladies increased in recent weeks, putting her to sleep was seen as the kindest option.
source: dailymail