An avocado packing shed might seem an unlikely place to begin a major wildlife rescue operation, but that was where Steve and Terri Irwin started their hospital in Queensland in 2004. The project grew from a long-standing concern for injured and orphaned animals, inspired in part by Steve’s mother, Lyn Irwin, and her work in wildlife rehabilitation. According to Wildlife Warriors, two decades later, the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital had treated more than 136,000 animals, marking a considerable change in scale from its modest beginnings. Today, the facility provides specialist veterinary care for thousands of native Australian animals each year.
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