Habitat Preservation

While many people know Steve for his zoo and wildlife documentaries, not many are aware that Steve had purchased large tracts of forested land within and beyond Australia to protect wildlife habitats.

Steve identified the destruction and annihilation of wildlife habitats as the key human cause of wildlife loss and extinction. To minimise further loss of wildlife habitats, Steve bought over parcels of nature areas whenever and wherever he could, before the land would be lost to urbanisation. Home to a large variety of flora and fauna, Steve likened the plots of land he bought to valuable national parks. He also set about re-vegetating the land and breeding endangered wildlife species, in the hope of reinstating the wildlife species and their habitats.

Not only so, Steve yearned that by doing so, others who are financially able, such as multinationals and millionaires, would too be influenced to buy land supporting wildlife for habitat preservation.

“Whenever we get enough cash and a chunk of land that we’re passionate about, bang, we buy it. And what we’re trying to do is we’re trying to set an example to the world that … they can all make a difference by buying chunks of land.”

– Steve Irwin

To date, the Irwins have bought an estimated 27 200 hectares of land across Australia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the United States. These sideline efforts all the more reflects Steve’s passion and commitment to wildlife were genuine and not just a facade.