Australia Zoo’s financial hell goes from bad to worse as Terri Irwin is forced to make several ‘key senior staffers redundant’ and even considers ‘selling up for good’

A new report has suggested Australia Zoo is in even more financial strife than previously thought.

After the Irwins admitted that the zoo was in dire straits in February, an Australia Zoo employee has now revealed to New Idea that redundancies have already taken place at the sanctuary.

According to the source, ‘several key staffers’ have been made redundant within the past few weeks.

Struggle street: A new report has suggested Australia Zoo is in even more financial strife than previously thought. [L-R] Robert Irwin, Terri Irwin, Grace Warrior Powell, Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell

The magazine also reported on rumours that matriarch Terri Irwin, 57, ‘might soon explore the option of selling’ the once-popular tourist destination.

Terri recently expressed her homesickness in a telling tweet, writing, ‘I miss my home town, Eugene Oregon.’

‘I miss my family, friends and the beautiful wildlife,’ Steve Irwin’s widow added. 

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Australia Zoo and Terri Irwin for comment. 

Everything must go: The magazine also reported on rumours that matriarch Terri Irwin, 57, ‘might soon explore the option of selling’ the once-popular tourist destination

Moving away? Terri recently expressed her homesickness in a telling tweet, writing, ‘I miss my home town, Eugene Oregon’

The latest reports come after Bindi Irwin admitted last year that her late father Steve’s legacy was almost on the brink of collapse as the family struggled to keep the business operational amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Then in January this year a source close to the famous family told Woman’s Day magazine ‘they still aren’t out of the woods yet’.

Australia Zoo was forced to shut for 78 days last year due to the pandemic, but the Irwins still had to pay $80,000 a week to feed the animals. 

Trouble: After the Irwins admitted that the zoo was in dire straits in February, an Australia Zoo employee has now revealed to New Idea that redundancies have already taken place 

The huge outlay placed the zoo in a dire financial predicament.

And with coronavirus still restricting international travel, the Irwins have lost crucial overseas visitors in 2021 too.

‘The zoo relies on international visitors, and with the borders closed, indeed some state borders closed, and even Aussies struggling to get home, that’s a sizable chunk of their income gone,’ the source said.

Struggles: Bindi Irwin revealed last year that her late father Steve’s legacy was almost on the brink of collapse as they struggled to keep the business operational amid the Covid-19 pandemic

Nightmare year: In an emotional statement shared by Bindi, 23, in December, the pregnant wildlife warrior detailed the struggles her family had faced in 2020

In an emotional statement shared by Bindi, 22, in December, the pregnant wildlife warrior detailed the struggles her family had faced in 2020. 

‘For us, this year was filled with both tremendous joy and heartbreaking loss,’ Bindi wrote on Instagram, marking 50 years since the zoo opened in 1970.

She said the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital was the ‘busiest it’s ever been’ due to the bushfires, adding that it was costing them $80,000 a week alone to feed the animals.

She revealed that 2020 was the first time in history the family had to close their gates to guests, saying: ‘Every moment of every day the question of when or if we would recover burned in the back of our minds. 

‘Our animal food bills alone are about $80,000 per week and we spent our days trying to keep our team and family of animals safe.’ 

Crikey! She revealed that 2020 was the first time in history the family had to close their gates to guests. Pictured: the late Steve Irwin at Australia Zoo in February 2002

Terri had previously said during an episode of Crikey! It’s the Irwins that the Sunshine Coast zoo spends a whopping $400,000 per week on wages.

Despite the tough year behind them, Bindi concluded her post on a positive note.

‘However, we were reminded that there is always hope on the horizon,’ she wrote.

‘Things turned around in Australia and we were able to open our doors once again to people needing a safe haven of gardens and wildlife.’ 

Staggering: Terri Irwin had previously said during an episode of Crikey! It’s the Irwins that the Sunshine Coast zoo spends a whopping $400,000 per week on wages

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