australia zoo growing pains » Australia Zoo

australia zoo growing pains
02-03-2008

Steve Irwins father has defected from Australia Zoo, including Terri, resigningthis week over concerns of staff management, commercialism etc. he and his partner plan to carry on with Steve's dream at a new site, elsewhere in QLD.
article published in Sunday Telegraph

03-03-2008

It's too bad that this negative publicity has hit them at a time of exponential growth: the madagascan island exhibit is apparently opening in 2009, and there are numerous other plans that have been discussed regarding a long list of extensive expansions. Maybe Bob Irwin won't be around to see these achievements?

03-03-2008

Seems Bob Irwin is not happy with these exponential growth....

03-03-2008

Typical falling out over directions. I think Bob is damn right that lately the younger generation is more interested in milking the Irwin myth than in furthering his conservation concerns. It seems all a little easy to shut the founder of your park out of the equation. Perhaps a sort of Paris Hilton syndrome over there?

03-03-2008

I grew up on the Sunshine Coast and I still have family and many friends living there, though no who work or have worked at the zoo. But it is interesting to hear what their take of th whole thing is. I don't know if it an anti-american bias or not but evryone I spoke to (about 30 people), were dead set against Terri. Many thought she was money hungry, taking the direction of the zoo towards spinning more money rather than conservation, too heavy on the Bindi promotion and some said they woulnd't be suprised if she sold the zoo and moved back to the US with many millions of dollers. Everyone was very sympathetic with Bob Irwin. There was also much criticism of the expensive house that she owns and also the one next door that she bought, saying how does that help conservation.

It is very unfair as of course we don't know but I found it very interesting

03-03-2008

ahh - the issues that arise when you make your living from a charity!

critics can easily quote the (often) large sums of money that is deferred to the person's pocket to rally support against them. on the otherhand the person in question can easily quote the (often) large sums of money that would never have been directed towards a charity if it wasn't for their efforts.

03-03-2008

So this is a difference of opinion between the father and his daughter-in-law is it? Who owns the zoo now- Terri Irwin?

13-06-2008

It is just sad how far this institution has fallen. I am just thoughly disgusted that people are still visiting this place after all these scandals. All of their "conservation" projects is nothing more then showboating for the purpose of drumming up more visitors. When local and important issues come up suce as the Mary River turtle, Australia Zoo and its management are no where to be seen. I am encouraging everyone to patronize a zoo which actually seeks to conserve such as the Adelaide Zoo or Taronga.

13-06-2008

So you'd say the thousands of dollars spent in court fighting a mining giant to protect a pocket of land no members of the public will ever set foot on is showboating???

13-06-2008

Yes, it is exactly what it is. Spending "thousands" on fighting the corporation is showboating. The Australian public will voice their concern like how the Americans voiced their concern and won the protection of the Artic Wildlife refuge in Alaska. Lets be honest, Australia Zoo, and the Irwin family are pulling in millions and millions of dollars. Of that, little is spent on noteworthy exhibits or major conservation projects which require the infusion of massive funds. Fighting the big bad corporation is something that could be left to the media and the public. Doing one major thing and advertising "oh look at how much we are doing for the cause" is just as I said before, to drum up visitor numbers who need a prerequisite of conservation before patronizing. Yes Steve did a lot, but Steve is unfortunately no longer here, and from what the departure of Bob from the zoo appears to support is a major shift in how the institution is being run including its "conservation". Why else would a founder of a conservation facility leave to start another if he felt Australia Zoo was living up to what he envisioned? I am tired of Irwin apologists who are excusing their continued misbehavior in regards to the way they disregard the law and the way they are spending their money.

13-06-2008

Everyone does it! disregards the law. Bet there is not one person on this forum (except for maybe the younger ones) that hasn't fair enough it's on a larger scale, but if someone other than the irwins did it we wouldn't hear anything about it. I don't think you have much of an idea of just how much the irwins spend on private reserves and managed farms. millions of dollars andthese are projects we hardly ever hear about. I don't excuse the irwin's actions. if they do something illegal they should be punished just the same as every other person, instead, because they are who they are they recieve ten times the attention of anyone else? Bob, well I don't know the facts there but if you read all the articles it was agreed he'd leave, as well as be given a parcel of land to do his own projects years ago, while steve was still alive. A zoo is a business and I assure you every other zoo would love to have something like that to attract the visitors in because without visitors zoos WILL fail.

13-06-2008

its not often ill jump to the defence of Australia Zoo but in this case I think Liceboy, that you are misinformed and not looking at all the facts.
You cannot accuse Australia Zoo of doing too little then turn around and expect media and politicians to fight big business in the name of conservation. Thats just naive and narrow-minded. When mining is what fuels our economy and given the Rudd Governments current passive diplomatic backdown on whaling conservation relies on NGO's like Australia Zoo to take up the torch. Your post doesnt take into account all the work Australia Zoo is doing on the ex-situ and in-situ front, from wildlife rehabilitation, humanitarian work, breeding programs, conservation fundraising and high profile education programs. Yes Bindi annoys me, there is a commercial slant on many publicity and the Irwin rift is dissappointing, but for a private enterprise Australia Zoo does alot.
Zoos should focus on endemic species where applicable, but their participation in species recovery programs within this country is regulated by State and Federal wildlife agencies. Australia Zoo at this stage may not be part of the recovery plan for Mary River Turtle. I dont know if you fully understand this. Are you saying that before Melbourne Zoo embarked on its program for Asian Elephant it should have saved the Leadbeaters Possum first, or that before Taronga Zoo got its elephants that it should have saved the Broad-toothed rat just because these species are close to these zoos.
Zoos are limited in what they can do by their resources and leglislation, and despite the occassional hiccup I think Australia Zoo is doing well.

13-06-2008

Well said Glyn, I agree

14-06-2008

Well Glyn if you ask like this I think Melbourne and Taronga should have indeed committed only fraction of the money they spent on their "elephant breeding/conservation program" on native possums and rats because their contribution for a possum and rat program could indeed have saved the species while their contribution to the survival of the asian elephant is extremely small to zero! Breeding a small number of asian elephants in Australian zoos at a gigantic cost of money won`t rescue the asian elephant, and I am yet to hear what great things Taronga and Melbourne are doing for the wild populations. I can`t see what significant things the Australia Zoo is doing for wild elephants neither - like Taronga and Melbourne, they are keeping 3 females for exhibit only and to make money, which is fine - but don`t call THAT conservation.

Zoos can usually do most for local, native species - both in-situ and ex-situ, for relatively small amounts of money. I think the healesville sanctuary is involved into a number of such programs for local species - the Australia Zoo too?

14-06-2008

Long Island is a long way from Brisbane and Australia zoo so do you really know ALL the facts about what really happens here in Brisbane and the zoo? or are you just going by what you see in the media?, We here is Brisbane have been watching things unfold over time, my first visit there was 30 years ago so I can tell you Australia zoo is going ahead in leaps and bounds and will do so in the furture, they are becoming a real part of the zoo network in this country and as they do expand will play a major role in the scheme of things in Oz.

Nothing is perfect in life and we wish it was, only time will tell how things are going to pan out so I say "Give them a fair go"