The deadly blazes that have swept Australia are believed to have been fueled by a combination of extreme heat, prolonged drought, and strong winds.
They keep devastating large portions of the country, killing at least 18 people, around 500 million mammals, reptiles, and birds, and burning 1,200 homes down.
As the bushfires are expected to get even worse due to the high temperatures and high winds, the leader of Australia’s state of New South Wales has declared a week-long state of emergency.
The entire situation has led to misery and despair. Fires show no sign of stopping for months, and Australians are exhausted and frustrated by a lack of clear leadership.
Therefore, any kind of help is more than welcome.
Bindi Irwin, the daughter of late Steve Irwin, celebrated as “Crocodile Hunter” and a well-known environmentalist and conservationist, is among the numerous volunteers that stepped in to give their best and alleviate the tragic consequences of the flames.
The 21-year-old Bindi is now a devoted “wildlife warrior” too.
She revealed that she has been working alongside the staff at Australia Zoo on Instagram. She shared a photo of herself standing in front of a photograph of her father Steve alongside his late mother, Lyn, and wrote:
“With so many devastating fires within Australia, my heart breaks for the people and wildlife who have lost so much. I wanted to let you know that we are SAFE. There are no fires near us @AustraliaZoo or our conservation properties.
Our Wildlife Hospital is busier than ever though, having officially treated over 90,000 patients. 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.”
Steve’s wife, Terry, has been in charge of the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital since his death. The hospital has been now inundated by wounded and burnt animals in the wildfires.
Bindi’s post followed distressing footage shared online by Mitchell Lyons, revealing dozens of kangaroos fleeing from the devastating bush fires, desperately searching for safety.
Dozens of kangaroos have been spotted hopping through smoky grassland in Bredbo, NSW as nearby bushfires burn through the area #AustralianFires pic.twitter.com/xNP1EuBOEl
— SBS News (@SBSNews) December 31, 2019
The fires that continue raging in Australia have drastically decreased the populations of many animals and plants, including kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, possums, wallabies, wombats, and other endemic species, but due to the ongoing crisis, the real numbers cannot be assessed.
Thanks to everyone who’s asked how we’re doing in this severe bushfire season. The Sunshine Coast is not currently experiencing any fires. Our 497 staff are SAFE. @AustraliaZoo is SAFE. Our conservation properties are SAFE. We are treating more animals at our Wildlife Hospital. pic.twitter.com/RrcqBQ9UyO
— Terri Irwin (@TerriIrwin) January 2, 2020