Irwin Family Opens Elephant Sanctuary, Fulfilling One of Steve’s Life Goals

Steve Irwin spread the recognition and awareness of Earth’s majestic wildlife for millions of people worldwide. Alongside his wife Terri, Steve hosted the edutainment series called “The Crocodile Hunter”. Additionally, they founded the “Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation”. He has a big impact on today’s world, so much that November 15th has been named “Steve Irwin Day”. Although this TV and personality and expert on wildlife has passed away, the legacy that he left in this world will live on, especially thanks to his family. His wife, Terri, and his children, Robert and Bindi, made efforts to open a hospital for elephants in Indonesia.
Terri Irwin made a statement for Buzzfeed News: “We just — just — finished one of his greatest goals, which was to open an elephant hospital in Indonesia. In Sumatra, when Elephants step on a landmine or they get caught in a snare there was no hospital to treat them, and we now have just opened an elephant hospital, so it’s pretty special.”
A staff member at the Australian Zoo which Terri and Steve made together, Luke Reavley, made a statement, saying: “Steve Dreamed of opening an elephant hospital after witnessing first-hand the issues they were facing in the wild.”
The Australian Zoo and other organizations sent funding to the Elephant Hospital. Many veterinarians are staffed in the hospital and they will train Indonesian team members on how to care for elephants and how to micro-chip. By micro-chipping the elephants, the staff will have an easier time monitoring the population of elephants.
Bindi, Steve’s daughter, said: “I think for us as a family we always want to make sure that his legacy continues. Because Dad always said, ‘I don’t care if people remember me, I care if people remember my message.’”
Being a conservationist her entire life, Terri started a rehabilitation center for injured predators at the age of 22. Along with Steve, they raised their children to have the same passion, interest, and affection toward wildlife as they had. Today, Robert and Bindi are as excited and determined to protect the wildlife as their father was while he was alive.
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