Crocodile Hunter - Risk-taking Australian wildlife expert seen on the syndicated nature series CROCODILE HUNTER (1996), THE TEN DEADLIEST SNAKES IN THE WORLD (1998) and CROC FILES a.k.a. "The Crocodile Hunter's Croc Files" (1999). Born February 22nd, 1962 in Victoria's Dandenong Ranges, Queensland, Australia, Steve Irwin spends his life rescuing and relocating endangered animals. He loves to jump on top of the animals and wrestle them into submission with the aide of ropes and a good grip.

Steve got his inspiration for working with animals as a child at the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park at Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast (once owned by his parents Lyn Irwin, a nurse and wildlife rehabilitator and Bob Irwin, a plumber turned herpetologist).

Steve later expanded his parent's property and renamed it The Australia Zoo which has become a thriving international tourist attraction and "the home of the Crocodile Hunter."

A herpetologist by trade, Steve likes to wear khaki shorts and boots. When he comes upon snakes or crocodiles, Steve stands frozen into his famous "action crouch" and shouts the catchphrase "Crikey!"

The success of Steve and his wife, Terri (Steve's co-host on the "Crocodile Hunter" TV show) spawned a line of action figures, a Steve Irwin doll that cries, "Danger! Danger! Danger!", and a line of surf-wear called 'Steve Lives Surfwear'  ("Lives" because Steve takes so many chances with wild animals, many people believe he had been killed by now, but he's still alive and kicking).

In 2002 Steve and his wife, Terri starred in the theatrical release The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course. Steve Irwin has also appeared in Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) and its sequel, as well as in wildlife documentaries for cable's Animal Planet, in a Federal Express commercial and as a parody of himself named Irwin on the cartoon series SOUTH PARK (episode No. 31 "Prehistoric Ice Man") who says things like, "I'm going to sneak up on that croc and jam my thumb in its butthole!".

Steve's wife, Terri (née Baines) Irwin first met Steve while on a trip to Australia in 1991 as Steve was doing a demonstration at Australia Zoo. It was love at first sight. Steve and Terri got engaged four months later and married on the 4th June 1992.

Their daughter Bindi Sue Irwin was born July 24, 1998. She was named after a crocodile named Bindi and Steve's favorite croc hunting dog, Sui.

Terri, a.k.a. the Crocodile Huntress, was born in Eugene, Oregon. In 1986 she started a rehab facility called Cougar Country to re-educate and release predatory mammals such as fox, possum, raccoon, bears, bob-cats, and cougars back into the wild.

When not hunting crocodiles and other critters, Steve and Terri run the Australia Zoo and continue to rescue many species of animals, including; amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. Reportedly, everything, that Steve Irwin earns is reinvested into conservation causes. See also - DOGS: Terriers - Sui

TRIVIA NOTE: In January, 2004 Steve Irwin carried his month-old baby up to a 13-foot crocodile while feeding it chucks of meat. Irwin claimed to be in "complete control" of the situation, but millions around the globe who saw video footage of the incident thought otherwise.

Steve Irwin died suddenly at the age of 44 on September 4, 2006 after being pierced in the heart by a stingray's barb while filming a segment on the Great Barrier Reef for his daughter's  upcoming children's documentary "Bindi, the Jungle Girl." Irwin was snorkeling over the stingray when it attacked. Steve Irwin is survived by his  wife, Terri and children, eight-year-old daughter, Bindi and two-year-old son, Bob. 

The official website for the Crocodile Hunter is located at http://www.crocodilehunter.com/

             

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