Source: australiazoo.com.au

“Wildlife Warriors”: Irwin Family Helps Over 90,000 Animals as Bushfires Rage in Australia

Bindi Irwin, daughter of the “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, says her family’s animal hospital is ‘busier than ever’ amid brutal wildfires.

Irwin family safe but working around the clock to save animals displaced by bushfires

The Irwin family are working around the clock to help the thousands of animals affected by devastating wildfires ravaging Australia. Bindi Irwin—daughter of famed wildlife conservationist Steve Irwin, who gained popularity through his TV series "The Crocodile Hunter"—took to Instagram to assure her followers that her family’s zoo is not in harm’s way. “I wanted to let you know that we are SAFE," Irwin, 21, wrote Thursday. "There are no fires near us @AustraliaZoo or our conservation properties."  

However, many displaced animals have come through the doors of the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, which is owned by her mother Terri Irwin. "Our Wildlife Hospital is busier than ever though, having officially treated over 90,000 patients," she wrote, adding, "My heart breaks for the people and wildlife who have lost so much. My parents dedicated our Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital to my beautiful grandmother. We will continue to honour her by being Wildlife Warriors and saving as many lives as we can." — USA Today 

Find Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors on Facebook or their website, and be sure to check out the Australia Zoo website.

The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has been run by Bindi’s mother Terri Irwin since Steve’s death. The zoo typically treats over 8,000 sick and injured native animals per year. However, the zoo has been inundated by animals affected by the wave of bushfires raging across the country since September.
On Thursday, Bindi took to Instagram to say that she has been working hard alongside the staff at Australia Zoo to help treat a record-breaking influx of animal patients wounded in the firestorms. The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has been run by Bindi’s mother Terri Irwin since Steve’s death. The zoo typically treats over 8,000 sick and injured native animals per year. However, the zoo has been inundated by animals affected by the wave of bushfires raging across the country since September. Source: Instagram/bindisueirwin

Ecologists fear the enormous loss of wildlife could forever tip the balance for entire species

An estimated 480 million animals have been affected by the wildfires in Australia’s New South Wales alone since September, according to ecologists from the University of Sydney.

"Many of the affected animals are likely to have been killed directly by the fires, with others succumbing later due to the depletion of food and shelter resources and predation from introduced feral cats and red foxes," the statement adds.

The early and devastating start to Australia’s summer wildfires is known to have claimed 24 lives already, and burned about 12.35 million acres (5 million hectares) of land and destroyed more than 1,500 homes. — That’s more acres burned in Australia than any one year in the US since Harry Truman was president. 

Ecologists fear that the enormous loss of wildlife caused by the current crisis could forever tip the balance for entire species of animals and plants. Kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, wombats, echidnas, possums, and other endemic species have been lost in numbers that remain difficult to gauge due to the ongoing situation.

Koalas, in particular, have sustained huge losses—with some experts warning that an estimated 30% of the koala colony has been lost in the fires on the northeast coast.

Sources: USAToda/AP & TheMindUnleashed

Blossom the Possum was admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital after being caught in one of the bushfires burning in other parts of Queensland but unfortunately succumbed to her injuries a short time later.
An estimated 480 million animals have been affected by the wildfires in Australia’s New South Wales alone since September Blossom the Possum was admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital after being caught in one of the bushfires burning in other parts of Queensland but unfortunately succumbed to her injuries a short time later. Source: Facebook/WildlifeWarriorsWorldwide

HOW TO HELP WITH THE AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRES — FROM FROM WHEREVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD

Many people from both inside and outside Australia have been asking what they can do to help, so we've compiled a list of resources, such as where to donate and what other actions you can take from wherever you are around the world.

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