The Daily Telegraph is reporting that there is trouble in the Terri Irwin camp. Bob Irwin, father of the late Steve Irwin, is reportedly pulling out of the famed Australia Zoo. Rumors are swirling that Terri Irwin plans to sell the property and relocate to the U.S. with her children. She is wrapped up in some legal issues that may have some bearing on her decision.
Rumors are swirling that the Zoo will be sold to Animal Planet who would plunge $100 million into the project in order to turn it into a Disney style wildlife theme park. Animal Planet is owned by US-based global media and entertainment company Discovery Communications (DCI), which is believed to have contributed financially to the zoo.
Steve Irwin,who died in 2006, was believed to have been planning to build a Crocodile Hunter Park with rides and interactive exhibits. However, it looks as if his father, Bob Irwin, who started the zoo 32 years ago, does not believe this new vision will honor his late son’s memory or enhance his legacy. In a statement to the press, Bob Irwin said he recently quit in order to “keep his son’s dream alive”.
United Press International reported on March 5, 2008 that a debt collection company is suing Terri Irwin for $60,o00 in unpaid bills and Australia Zoo for more than $2.5 million over transactions involving an offshore trust and a Singapore bank. The larger suit will hit the courts in October of this year.