Steve Irwin’s Children Have Saved Over 90K Animals From the Australian Wildfires

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It looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to the Irwin family. The family of the late Steve Irwin has reportedly helped rescue 90,000 animals including those falling victim to the wildfire devastation. Yes, the family is keeping Steve Irwin’s legacy alive. Terri Irwin, wife of Steve Irwin, and their children Bindi and Robert own and operate the Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital. Irwin, also known as the Crocodile Hunter, died in 2006 after being injured by a stingray.

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Through an Instagram post, Bindi posted several images of orphaned fox cubs who were recovering from the fire. She stated, “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.”

She noted the family was able to treat treated their 90,000th patient at the Wildlife Hospital, who is a platypus rescued from the inferno named “Ollie, the orphaned platypus, is receiving round the clock care until the family can release him back to the white. Bindi’s brother, Robert, also posted on Instagram, stating, “With pressures from drought to bushfires, wildlife need our help now more than ever.”

The raging Australia wildfires burned over 12.35 million acres of land, which is twice the size of Vermont, and is believed to have killed over 500 million animals since the beginning of Australia’s bushfire season in September. According to ecologists at the University of Sydney, the figure only includes mammals and does not include bats, insects, or frogs. The true loss of animals were “likely to be much higher than 480 million.”

Australia’s minister for the environment, Sussan Ley, stated that up to 30 percent of the koala population in New South Wales’ mid-north coast may have been killed. The region is highly known for its koala population.

Several Firefighters were brought in from the US to assist Australian firefighters. The fires in Australia are said to be similar to those that raged in Southern California this summer. The devastating fires in both areas move quickly along the coast and in hot conditions. The difference between both is the size. In Australia, it takes around 40 minutes to fly across one of the scores of fires in a helicopter.

Fire experts claimed the fires caused at least 24 lives and destroyed almost 2,000 homes with temperatures dropped around 30 degrees Fahrenheit, from 104 to 73 degrees in some areas.

This article was originally published on January 6, 2020.

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