As devastating wildfires continue to consume a large portion Australia, Bindi Irwin is thinking of her late father, Steve Irwin this week.
The 21-year-old took to Instagram with a post about her father’s inspiring strength, and the bushfires, which experts believe have now killed over 1 billion Animals.
“Dad spent his life working so hard to protect wildlife and wild places, especially in Australia,” she wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of the beloved Crocodile Hunter holding a small marsupial.
“I wish he was here right now to give advice and strength during this time of devastation with the bushfires,” she continued. “I know that his spirit lives on through our conservation work and I hope together we can make him proud. 💙🙏🏼”
Bindi’s little brother Robert Irwin, and their mother, Terri Irwin also opened up this week about how Steve would have reacted to the devastation of the wildfires.
“I think if dad were around today, I’m sure he would be incredibly devastated,” Robert told People Magazine. “I hope he’d be proud of what we’re doing, trying to help as best as we can.”
The Irwin family owns and operates the Australia Zoo in Queensland, and a wildlife hospital where more than 90,000 animals have received care.
“It is a real honor to get to follow in his footsteps and keep all of this going,” the 16-year-old added of the family’s conservation efforts. “But I think if he were here, he’d be utterly devastated.”
View this post on Instagram
“Steve was a great example for all of us,” Terri said of her late husband. “We all say live every day and live life to its fullest — he really did. And although there’s no word for it in the English language, he was the opposite of a procrastinator. He did everything now.”
“In following his lead and being inspired by everything he stood for, first of all, he’d probably be devastated,” she continued. “Second of all, he’d probably be down there fighting fires!”
“Definitely, yeah, I think so!” Robert said in agreement with his mom.
As of Wednesday, experts said the fires burning across Australia have likely left more than one billion animals dead, according to Today.
Ecologists from the University of Sydney believe 800 million total mammals, birds and reptiles have died in the state of New South Wales since September. That massive number includes a third of the New South Wales koala population.
To learn more about how you can join the Irwins in their Wildlife Efforts, visit wildlifewarriors.org.
