Steve Irwin

Biography

Stephen Robert Irwin was born on February 22, 1962, in Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria, Australia, to Bob and Lyn Irwin. His father, Bob, was a wildlife expert and conservationist who started what would later become Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland. Steve grew up immersed in wildlife conservation, learning how to handle crocodiles and venomous snakes from his dad. From a young age, he was surrounded by reptiles and got his first python as a gift when he was six. By nine, he was already wrestling crocodiles and helping with relocation programs.

Irwin's career kicked off at Australia Zoo, where he started as a volunteer and later took over managing the place. In 1991, he met American naturalist Terri Raines while she was visiting Australia. They married in 1992 and began expanding the zoo and making wildlife documentaries together. Their honeymoon footage, where Steve was capturing crocodiles as Terri filmed, became the pilot for The Crocodile Hunter TV show.

The Crocodile Hunter debuted in 1996 and quickly gained international fame, airing in over 130 countries and reaching millions. The show featured Steve's unique style of wildlife education, marked by his enthusiastic personality, close interaction with dangerous animals, and his famous 'Crikey!' catchphrase. With Terri, he created other wildlife documentaries and TV series like Croc Files, The Crocodile Hunter Diaries, and New Breed Vets. His way of handling crocodiles, venomous snakes, and other dangerous animals made him both famous and sometimes controversial in conservation circles.

Outside of TV, Irwin was passionate about wildlife conservation and education. He and Terri started the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation (later called Wildlife Warriors) to support conservation projects and research. Under their leadership, Australia Zoo expanded from a small reptile park to a major wildlife facility in Australia, with over 1,000 animals across 40 hectares. Irwin won the Queensland Australian of the Year award in 2004 for his conservation work and was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

On September 4, 2006, while filming an underwater documentary called Ocean's Deadliest at Batt Reef near Port Douglas, Queensland, Irwin was fatally wounded by a stingray barb that pierced his chest. His unexpected death at 44 shocked people around the world and led to widespread mourning from fans, fellow conservationists, and world leaders. He was survived by his wife Terri and their two children, Bindi and Robert, who continue his conservation efforts and manage operations at Australia Zoo.