Steve Irwin was a well known Australian wildlife expert in the early 2000’s with his own T.V. series The Crocodile Hunter. The show was then cancelled after his death. In 2006, Irwin died after being stung by a stingray while snorkeling in Australia. Although he is no longer living, his family remains carrying on his inspiring legacy. His family continues to operate the Australian Zoo. The Irwin family has rescued more than 90,000 animals from the ongoing deadly Australian wildfires. Steve Irwin’s wife, Terri Irwin, and their children, 21-year-old daughter Bindi and 16-year-old son Robert Irwin, have been treating animals at the Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital, which they also own and operate. In Bindi’s own post, she said, “My parents dedicated our Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital to my beautiful grandmother. We will continue to honor her by being Wildlife Warriors and saving as many lives as we can.

Both Robert and Bindi Irwin are trying to keep the world updated with what is currently happening at the Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital. “This is patient number 90,000 that the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has treated,” Robert wrote in an Instagram post. “‘Ollie’ the orphaned platypus is receiving round the clock care until he can be released back to the wild. Over the last 16 years, the hospital has provided 24/7 wildlife rehabilitation and an incredible animal rescue service. We’re so proud of this world-class facility! Thank you for your support – with pressures from drought to bushfires, wildlife needs our help now more than ever.” The Australia Zoo and the animal hospital are safe from the fire.

”There are many more animals to be saved, as it’s been estimated that more than 800 million animals have been impacted by the current bushfires in Australia, having possibly wiped out a third of the entire Koala population. As for the humans, the death toll has reached 24 people. For ways to help the Irwins’ efforts, check out the Australia Zoo website,” said Bindi Irwin in her Instagram post. The region is known for its koala population. Koala’s have had the most impact from fires due to them living at the tops of trees. In Australia, native koala bears prefer Eucalyptus trees, a plant rich in natural oils that also makes them highly flammable. Thousands of koala bears have been killed in the deadly bush fires. “Up to 30% of the koala population in New South Wales’ mid-north coast may have been killed, Australia’s minister for the environment,” Sussan Ley told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

It is estimated that nearly half a billion animals have been killed in the bush fires within the last year. “Wildlife Hospital takes in animals from all over Australia. Hundreds of grey-headed flying foxes, a species listed as vulnerable, have been flown to Queensland after the rescue center they were recovering in was at risk from fire and evacuated,” Bindi Irwin posted on Instagram, along with images of orphaned fox cubs recovering from the fire. “Some of the orphans are now being cared for by the team at the hospital until they are big enough to go home, and there is no threat of fire. To cope with so many animals being admitted to the hospital, in 2019 we opened a sea turtle rehabilitation center, sea snake ward and are about to complete a new bird recovery area, but it is still not enough to keep up. We need to build a new ward for our patients. Wildlife Warriors from around the world are asking how they can help us save native wildlife, you can donate on our website www.wildlifewarriors.org , or support our fundraiser to start construction of our newest ward.”

Firefighters have been brought in from the United States to help out with the outrageous Australian wildfires. Steve Price normally fights fires in the U.S. but for the past month he has been in Australia. “It is the biggest fire I’ve ever been on in my life, and I’ve been doing it for thirty years now.” he told ABC News. Price is part of the air operations rescue in Australia in Idaho. He is one of dozens of U.S. fire fighters who have volunteered to come to Australia. For the first time in Australia’s history, 3,000 army, navy and air force reservists have been called up and will be thrown into the battle against the fires. According to the most recent Twitter status post from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, there are still over 139 fires currently burning. 

The conditions are very hazardous. It has been reported that the massive fires took away at least 24 lives and destroyed almost 2,000 homes. Even with the millions of people coming together to donate money and provide resources, scientists still fear that the damage from the fires can not be fixed and caused a great amount of animals to become endangered species, including koalas. According to the University of Sydney, the fires have burned over 12.35 million acres of land and is believed to have killed an estimate of about 500 million animals, not including insects or amphibians, since the start of Australia’s bush fire. 

The Irwin family is determined to help as many animals as they can. The Irwin’s have been hard in recent months to help rescue the hundreds of thousands of animals that were injured as a result of the bush fires. The family preaches against climate change to help bring awareness to the issues that are impacting ecosystems around the world. “I wanted to share with you some of the sweet faces that are getting a second chance at life,” wrote Bindi Irwin on Instagram in the caption of a photo of two bats that were rescued from the flames. The family encourages millions of people to become interested in helping by visit the Wildlife Warriors website, an organization that was founded by Steve and Terri Irwin to help protect wildlife around the entire world.