'Kentucky Down Under' raising money to battle Australian wildfires

HORSE CAVE, Ky. (LEX 18/WLKY) — "Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo" has announced that they will be raising funds to send relief as Australia continues to battle deadly wildfires.

As of Monday, 24 people were killed, including three firefighters. Current reports estimate that 480 million animals have died in the bushfires. It's estimated that a third of the koalas in New South Wales have been killed.

The Australian attraction in Horse Cave has announced that 50% of all proceeds for the month of January will go to the Australia Zoo to help support their efforts to care for injured animals.

The owner, Mick McGill, is a native Australian and told CBS affiliate WLKY that he can't stand the thought of animals dying in his homeland.

“Australia is home. Australia is where all my childhood memories come from. Australia is where some of the happiest memories I have ever had come from, where some of the saddest I have ever had come from,” said McGill.

The zoo is open 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. every day.