Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin was born on February 22, 1962 in Essendon, near Melbourne, Australia. His father, Bob, was a plumber and his mother, Lyn, was a nurse, but both were avid nature enthusiasts. In the early 1970s, the family moved to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, where Bob and Lyn Irwin founded the Beerwah Reptile Park on 4 acres (1.6 hectare) of land. The young Irwin accompanied his father on expeditions in the Outback to trap lizards, venomous snakes, and crocodiles, and he helped to nurse and rehabilitate the injured or abandoned kangaroos, wallabies, and birds that the park took in. In the early 1970s Irwin accompanied his father on expeditions for the East Coast Crocodile Management Program, a government-sponsored project to reduce crocodile hunting by relocating the animals to less-populated areas or to sanctuaries, including the Beerwah park. It was on one such outing, when Irwin was age nine, that he first attempted to subdue a crocodile by jumping on its back. He soon became quite adept at the technique. In the early 1980s Irwin worked for the Crocodile Management Program on his own, sometimes spending months alone in the bush in search of the animals. Irwin met his future wife Terri Raines, an American naturalist from Oregon, in 1991 at the park. They married in 1992 and spent their honeymoon trapping crocodiles. The footage of their honeymoon became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, a wildlife documentary series that became an international success on television. The show featured Irwin’s charismatic personality and fearless approach to wildlife as he encountered various animals in their natural habitats. He often used his signature exclamation “Crikey!” to express his excitement or surprise. He also hosted or co-hosted several spin-off series such as Croc Files (1999–2001), The Crocodile Hunter Diaries (2002–2006), and New Breed Vets (2005). He and Terri had two children: Bindi Sue (born in 1998) and Robert Clarence (born in 2003), who also appeared on some of his shows. Irwin became a popular celebrity and a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation. He was involved in numerous environmental projects and campaigns, such as Wildlife Warriors Worldwide and International Crocodile Rescue. He also expanded his family’s zoo into a major tourist attraction and a research and conservation facility known as Australia Zoo. He received several awards and honors for his work, such as the Centenary Medal from the Australian government in 2001 and an honorary professorship from the University of Queensland in 2005. On September 4, 2006, Irwin died from a stingray injury to his heart while filming an underwater documentary titled Ocean’s Deadliest near Port Douglas, Queensland. His death was widely mourned by fans, media, celebrities, and political leaders around the world. He was buried in a private ceremony at Australia Zoo. His life and legacy were celebrated in several tributes and memorials, such as a public memorial service broadcast from Australia Zoo, a state funeral offer from the Queensland government (which was declined by his family), and the naming of a national park and a road in his honor. He was also posthumously awarded the Queensland Museum Medal and the adjunct professorship from the University of Queensland in 2007.