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In Memory of Stephen Robert Irwin
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“The Crocodile Hunter & Wildlife Warrior”
Life Celebration Tribute
Stephen Robert Irwin (1962 ~ 2006)
Stephen Robert Irwin was born on the 22nd February 1962 in Essendon, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, to Lyn and Bob Irwin. Steve’s dad, Bob Irwin, was a reptile enthusiast and started a small Reptile and Fauna Park in Beerwah, Queensland, where Steve grew up with crocodiles and other reptiles.
Steve Irwin learnt his reptile craft and love for wildlife through his daily duties which included animal feeding, care and maintenance. On his sixth birthday he was given a scrub python. Steve began handling crocodiles at the age of nine, after his father Bob had educated him on reptiles from an early age. Steve became a crocodile trapper, removing crocodiles from near populated areas, performing the service for free or barter exchange for goods for the park Steve like his father became a volunteer for the Queensland Government's East Coast Crocodile Management program.
In 1991 Steve Irwin took over the running of the park, now called Australia Zoo,
where he met Terri Raines from Eugene, Oregon, USA
In 1992 Steve Irwin married Terri Raines who he had met a few months earlier when she visited the zoo on a holiday.. They had crocodile-trapping honeymoon which was shot by John Stainton and became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, becoming wildly successful in the United States and the UK. Steve’s energetic and enthusiastic presenting style, natural Australian accent, khaki shirts and shorts and catch-phrase "Crikey!" became known worldwide… The Crocodile Hunter went to air in 120 countries.
With great leadership, Steve Irwin expanded animal awareness through the Zoo, the Television Series, the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation and International Crocodile Rescue.
On the 24th July 1998, Steve and Terri Irwin had a daughter named Bindi Sue Irwin, (often misspelt Bindy) named after two of Steve's favorite animals.. Bindi a saltwater crocodile and Sui a dog (who died in June 2004). . He once described his daughter Bindi as "the reason he was put on the Earth".
In 2001 Steve Irwin had a cameo role in Dr. Dolittle 2 with Eddie Murphy.. in 2002 Steve played himself including stuntwork in The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course feature movie with a budget of about $12 million, grossing over $28 million (Sept.’06). ..also in 2001 Steve Irwin was awarded the Centenary Medal for his "service to global conservation and to Australian Tourism".
In 2002 the Australia Zoo was voted Queensland's top tourist attraction due to Steve Irwin’s great popularity in the US where he promoted Australia as a tourist destination.
On the 1st December 2003 Steve and Terri Irwin had their second child, a son named Robert Clarence Irwin.. aka "Bob", named after Steve’s father. Steve become very enthusiastic about his family as he was about his work..
..Two months after the birth of his son Bob, major controversy arose during a public show on the 2nd January 2004, when Steve Irwin carried his infant, in one arm while feeding a chicken carcass to a crocodile with the other hand. Child welfare groups, animal rights groups, and many of Steve’s television viewers criticised his actions as being irresponsible. Irwin claimed that any danger to his son was only a perceived danger and that he was in complete control of the situation, and consistently refused to apologise for his actions despite considerable public outcry both in Australia and abroad. Steve’s defenders pointed to his many decades of hands-on experience and direct interaction with crocodiles, as well as his well-known devotion to his responsibilities as a father. No charges were filed, but police did visit Steve and advise him not to repeat the incident, which prompted the Queensland government to change its crocodile-handling laws, banning children and untrained adults from entering crocodile enclosures.
In 2004 Steve Irwin was recognised as Tourism Export of the Year.. and was also nominated for Australian of the Year but was won by Steve Waugh due to media doubts cast over the "baby Bob croc incident” occurring in January that year.
Steve Irwin was involved in many media campaigns, including the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services featuring slogans such as "Quarantine Matters! Don't muck with it". In 2004 he was ambassador for The Ghan (Adelaide to Darwin train). Steve was also sponsored by Toyota.
In 2006 Steve Irwin participated in Australia Week celebrations in the USA.. appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Irwin and announced that Discovery Kids would be developing a musical story show called Jungle Girl for his daughter, Bindi Sue. The Wiggles dedicated Wiggly Safari to Steve Irwin which featured Terri, his wife and Bindi Sue..(sometimes misspelt Bindy Sue) the show included the song "Crocodile Hunter, Big Steve Irwin".
In 2006 Steve Irwin and his family starred on the The Travel Channel (American network) based on cross-country tours.
Steve Irwin was a big supporter of Prime Minister John Howard and the Liberal Party of Australia.. describing him as "the greatest leader Australia has ever had" and the "greatest leader in the entire world".
Steve Irwin was a passionate conservationist and environmentalist, and believed in promoting it by sharing his excitement about the natural world rather than preaching to people. He was concerned with conservation of endangered animals and land clearing. He considered conservation to be the most important part of his work, consider himself a wild-life warrior. Steve’s mission was to save the world's endangered species. Steve Irwin bought large tracts of land in Australia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the USA, which he described as like national parks and stressed the importance of people realising that they could make a difference.. urging people to take part in considerate tourism and not support illegal poaching through the purchase of items such as turtle shells, or shark-fin soup..
..Steve Irwin said
“These Hitlers use the camouflage of science to make money out of animals... So whenever they murder our animals and call it sustainable use, I'll fight it… ..Since when has killing a wild animal, eating it or wearing it, ever saved a species? There are people who butt out their cigarettes in gorilla-paw ashtrays, with wastepaper baskets that were once elephant feet, who have ivory ornaments… who wear cheetah fur. Don't buy these things! Then there'll be no market and the animals won't be killed… …We have domesticated livestock raised for consumption and perfectly good fake leather and fur, so why must we kill wild animals to satisfy the macabre taste of some rich person?”
Steve Irwin founded the Conservation Foundation which was later renamed Wildlife Warrior Worldwide and became an independent charity. Steve was described as a "modern-day Noah" by the CEO of RSPCA of Queensland, and British naturalist David Bellamy lauded his skills as a natural historian and media performer. Steve discovered a new species of turtle that now bears his name, Elseya irwini “Irwin's Turtle”, a type of snapping turtle found on the coast of Queensland. Steve Irwin also helped to found International Crocodile Rescue, as well as the Lyn Irwin Memorial Fund, in memory of his mother, with proceeds going to the Iron Bark Station Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.
Steve Irwin had a very memorable persona, and numerous parodies now exist, including, The Basil Brush Show.. It’s a Very Muppet Christmas Movie.. The Simpsons.. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.. South Park’s Prehistoric Ice Man‘s episode and many others.
Steve Irwin Died Tragically on September 4th 2006 . R.I.P.
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