The Irwin family has saved 90,000 animals, including many from Australia wildfires

(WAFB) - The family of the late Steve Irwin has helped rescue over 90,000 animals, including those injured and falling victim to the ongoing wildfires in Australia.

Terri Irwin, the widow of Steve Irwin, and their children Bindi and Robert own and operate the Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital. Steve Irwin died in 2006 after being stung by a stingray.

According to Robert’s Instagram, an orphaned platypus named Ollie was patient number 90,000 at the Wildlife Hospital.

“With so many devastating fires within Australia, my heart breaks for the people and wildlife who have lost so much,” Bindi said in an Instagram post on Thursday.

Almost a third of koalas in Australia’s New South Wales region may have been killed in the deadly bushfires, which have been burning out of control.

The raging fires have burned over 12 million acres of land -- twice the size of Vermont -- and is believed to have killed nearly 500 million animals as firefighters battle what has been predicted to the be the most devastating bushfire season. That figure only includes mammals and does not include insects, bats or frogs, according to a statement on the University of Sydney’s website. “The true loss of animal life is likely to be much higher than 480 million,” the statement reads.

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