Why Bindi Irwin Decided To Leave Her Family's Famous Zoo Behind

Following the tragic death of their father, Steve Irwin, in 2006, siblings Bindi and Robert Irwin have followed in the Crocodile Hunter's footsteps by becoming conservationists, zookeepers, and even reality TV stars. Bindi, in particular, has become quite a name in the wildlife field, and has called her family's zoo — the Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland — home for much of her life. In the summer of 2025, however, Bindi bid farewell to the zoo, even if it wasn't so much a "goodbye" as a "see you later." And as you might expect, the reason for the temporary move has everything to do with family.

In late August 2025, Bindi took to Instagram to confirm that she and her family had moved to Los Angeles for what would be a three-month period in order to support her younger brother Robert during his run on "Dancing with the Stars." Though Bindi, a former "DWTS" contestant in her own right, made it fairly clear that she would be returning to the Australia Zoo eventually, the decision to leave it behind was evidently still a tough one. "The whole family decided to make the move," an alleged insider told RadarOnline in October 2025, adding, "It wasn't an easy decision."

On that note, Robert's own reasons for taking on Hollywood are fairly sad – and once again, it all goes back to the Australia Zoo. According to a report published in The Globe in September 2025, Robert's "DWTS" role has a lot riding on it financially for the Irwin family and their business. "The last few years have been very tough," a source told the outlet, adding, "The family's Australia Zoo has struggled a fair amount, but COVID really took a toll and they've been trying their darndest to climb out of debt."

Her physical residence aside, Bindi Irwin's heart will clearly always be at the Australia Zoo. In mid-October 2025, about a month and a half after her temporary relocation to Los Angeles, Bindi shared a photo of herself hugging a tortoise on Instagram, writing, "Thinking of home today." The sentimentality is understandable, given that the Australia Zoo is where Bindi married her husband, Chandler Powell, in early 2020. But that's just the tip of the iceberg — because when we say that the zoo is a family business, we mean it.

The Australia Zoo, formerly the Beerwah Reptile and Fauna Park, was originally founded by Bindi's grandparents, Bob and Lyn Irwin. These days, the zoo is owned by the U.S.-born Terri Irwin, mother of Bindi and Robert Irwin, and widow of the late Steve Irwin. On that note, the Australia Zoo was also the location of Steve's funeral. However, though it's been widely reported that the Crocodile Hunter was laid to rest somewhere on site, no one outside the family knows exactly where he's buried. Regardless, it's easy to see why the Irwins are going all in on saving the zoo, even if that means having to move to the other side of the world from it for a time.

What's more, beyond the sentimentality of it all, the family also has the animals to think about. "We are part of endangered species breeding programs that are vital for species protection, and our goal is to provide world's best animal experiences for our guests," Bindi said in an interview with The Local Moms Network, adding, "We want everyone who visits Australia Zoo to leave with a greater appreciation for our natural world and a desire to protect Mother Earth."