INFORMATION VINE * The Life And Legacy of The Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin *

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Steve Irwin became one of the world's most famous television stars. The Crocodile Hunter was a huge hit in American and Australia, and the series was seen and loved by more than five hundred million people in one hundred and thirty countries around the world. Steve was well-known as a wildlife expert, a conservationist, a zookeeper, and for his TV show. Steve had a larger-than-life personality and a fearlessness in the face of danger. Unfortunately, his career was cut short in 2006 when he was killed by a stingray, but his legacy lives on in his Zoo and in his surviving family members.

Steve Irwin Was Born On February 22, 1962 In Australia

Steven Robert Irwin was born in 1962 in Essendon, Victoria, Australia. His parents were Lyn and Bob Irwin, and he was born on his mother's birthday. His parents were of Irish descent and moved to Queensland when Steve was a child, where they set up a reptile park named Beerwah Reptile and Fauna Park. 



Photo Courtesy: [Lisa Maree Williams/Contributor/Getty Images]


The park was later called Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park. So, Steve grew up with reptiles and crocodiles, which explained his lack of fear of them.

Steve's Dad Was A Wildlife Expert

Bob, Steve's dad, was a wildlife expert and a herpetologist. He was also an animal conservationist and a former zookeeper of a Reptile Park that was later called Australia Zoo. He was famous for his conservation and work with predators and reptiles and founded the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park. 



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He handed the park off to Steve and his wife Terri, and the Australia Zoo is still run by the Irwins and has remained open for visitors. Sadly, after Steve's death, the family had a falling out, and Bob no longer has any contact with Terri, Robert, or Bindi.

Steve's Mom Was A Wildlife Rehabilitator

Steve was very close to his mom growing up, and she was a wildlife rehabilitator. He would work with his mom to rescue animals and save them. Lyn Irwin's true passion was Australian wildlife conservation, and she established wildlife techniques that are still used today at Australia Zoo. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


Sadly, Lyn Irwin died in a car accident in 2000, and Steve honored his mother, saying, "You are the most beautiful, loving, nurturing, and caring person to have ever blessed this world."

Steve Grew Up At A Zoo

Steve's parents opened up the Beerwah Reptile Park, and Steve spent his youth helping to run the park, which meant feeding the animals and cleaning. That is where he discovered his love of animals and his talent for handling them. 



Photo Courtesy: [Lisa Maree Williams/Contributor/Getty Images]


"My dad was a wildlife expert. His field was herpetology, one who studies reptiles, and my mom was a wildlife rehabilitator." ---- Steve Irwin. Eventually, Steve and his wife Terri became the owners of the park, which later became known as the Australia Zoo. The Australia Zoo is still in operation today.

Steve Rescued Animals With His Mother As A Child

Steve's mother was originally a maternity nurse, but she quit to follow her passion for wildlife rehabilitation. Steve was very close to his mother, and when he was a child, he would work with her to save animals. He would often be late to school because he and his mom would rescue lizards on the way there, and they also rescued wombats, koalas, joeys, and platypuses.



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


Steve stated that often during his childhood, there would be artificial kangaroo pouches slung over chairs with little joeys in them. They also shared their house with koalas, possums, sugar gliders, and a lot of snakes.

First Wrestled With Crocodiles When He Was Nine Years Old

It was Steve's father that passed down his love for reptiles, and it was with his father when he caught his first snake, a five-foot-long venomous brown snake. He was four years old when he trapped the snake with his sandaled foot and called for his father. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


Two years later, Steve's parents gave him a twelve-foot-long scrub python snake for his sixth birthday, and it wasn't long after that that Steve started handling crocodiles. His father taught him how to properly deal with crocodiles, and by age nine, Steve was catching and wrestling crocodiles.

Steve Became A Crocodile Trapper In 1979

Steve began handling and wrestling crocodiles at nine years old. He graduated in 1979, moved to Northern Queensland, and became a crocodile trapper. He removed crocodiles from populated areas where they were considered a danger; it was his first step into the world of conservation and animal protection. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


He continued trapping crocodiles and relocating them to his familys' zoo throughout the 1980s. When he wasn't trapping, he was caring for wildlife and the grounds of the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park.

Steve Irwin Met His Wife Terri At The Australia Zoo In 1991

Steven Irwin met his wife, Terri Raines, in 1992 for the first time at the Australia Zoo. Terri was there visiting from the U.S., and Steve was doing one of his crocodile demonstrations. They both stated that it was love at first sight, and Terri stayed after the show.



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"I was absolutely floored. That was it. This man was a real-life hero. I fell then and there, love at first sight, not a problem. I said to a friend, 'I got to meet this guy.'" ---- Terri Irwin. Steve and Terri were engaged to be married just four months later.

Steve Married Terri In 1992

Terri and Steve Irwin were married on June 4th, 1992, and they began a life full of adventure. The couple had only been engaged for four months before getting married, but they both said it was just love at first sight. 



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Right after getting married, Steve asked Terri to make him a promise; if anything ever happened to him, she would make sure that the Zoo would carry on. They went on to have two children, daughter Bindi and son Robert.

Steve And Terri Refused To Wear Wedding Rings For Fear That They Would Harm The Animals They Worked With

After Steve and Terri were married, they never wore wedding rings. The couple stated that they refused to wear wedding bands because it could be hazardous for the animals they worked with. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


It could also cause injury to themselves when handling the animals. They stated that they didn't need rings to prove they were married and loved each other; they already knew that.

The Crocodile Hunter's First Episode Was Filmed On Their Honeymoon

Steve and Terri ended up spending their honeymoon traveling around Australia, trapping crocodiles for relocation. However, their honeymoon suddenly ended when they received a phone call saying there was a crocodile that needed help and they went to north Queensland. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


They helped the crocodile while filming a documentary and figured it would just be the one show. However, the show did so well that they did a second show, and it just kept going and became a hit show on Animal Planet.

Steve Began Running The Australia Zoo In 1991

Steve's parents owned and ran the Reptile Park, but eventually, the park was handed over to Steve and Terri. Steve renamed it the Australia Zoo in the 1990s and had a team of passionate conservationists working around the clock to care for the animals and deliver animal experiences like no other. 



Photo Courtesy: [Lisa Maree Williams/Contributor/Getty Images]


It was always Steve and his family's goal and vision to make Australia Zoo the biggest and best wildlife conservation facility in the world, and there is truly no zoo like Australia Zoo. The zoo sits on over seven hundred acres and is located an hour north of Brisbane on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Steve Was Bitten By Several Of His Animals

Steve Irwin was very talented when it came to handling large and dangerous animals, but on occasion, he was bitten or even hurt while working with them. It kind of came with the territory, and he never panicked. He was bitten once on camera by a snake, but instead of panicking, he asked for the camera to get a close-up of the snake still biting him.



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


The snake was harmless, and when asked if it hurt, he said no. He was also bitten by crocodiles but mostly on his hands. Robert Irwin was also bitten in the face by a snake but said it was his fault for getting too close to the snake and the most important thing was that the snake was rescued and let go. 

Irwin Was Terrified Of Parrots

Steve was not afraid of some of the most feared animals on this planet, such as snakes, crocodiles, and so many more. However, he was scared of one animal, and that was the parrot. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


He stated he's not comfortable with them but was working at getting more comfortable. He said that the parrots always seem to bite him and once almost tore his nose off. He had some pretty nasty parrot bites, but he said he was getting better with them.

Steve Discovered A New Species Of Turtles

Steve went on a fishing trip with his dad and ended up catching a turtle on his line, but it didn't look like any other turtle he had seen before. They took pictures of the animal and sent them to herpetologist John Cann, and it was confirmed that the animal was a new species. 



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So because the Irwins discovered the new species, it was named Elyseya irwini, or Irwin's snapping turtle. A new type of tree snail was also discovered, and because of its khaki color, it was called Crikey.

Steve Bought National Park-Like Pieces Of Land For Conservation

Steve Irwin was always concerned about the welfare of the animals and spent his entire life in their service by creating the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation. He purchased large tracts of land in Fiji, the United States, Vanuatu, and Australia that were similar to national parks. 



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In total, it was 330,000 acres of untouched land bursting with wildlife where rare and endangered species thrive. Thanks to 451,234 people who signed the petition after Steve's death, the land will remain this way.

The Crocodile Hunter Show First Aired In 1996

Steve and his show came about after a chance encounter with his friend, a television producer who was filming in the park for TV, and they ended up shooting a documentary called The Crocodile Hunter in 1992. The documentary had great success, so there were ten one-hour episodes filmed and released over the next three years. The Crocodile Hunter became a hit, and Steve filmed over fifty episodes. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


"Our aim is to continue producing more wildlife programs to entertain and enlighten. We'll take the audience to some of the wildest and remotest territories in the world. The time has come when all of us must be accountable. We don't own the planet Earth; we belong to it. And we must share it with our wildlife." ---- Steve Irwin.

Steve Believed His Enthusiasm Was The Reason For The Show's Success

They quickly realized that Steve's enthusiasm was a huge draw for audiences and was a massive part of the show's success. Scientific American asked Steve what he thought attributed to the show's immense popularity. 



Photo Courtesy: [Ken Hively/Contributor/Getty Images]


Steve replied, "Nothing to do with my looks, that's for sure! Yeah, I normally get a big croc out in the foreground of any filming. My belief is that what comes across on television is a capture of my enthusiasm and my passion for wildlife. Since I was a boy, from this house, I was out rescuing crocodiles and snakes. My mum and dad were very passionate about that, and I was lucky enough to go along."

His Australia Zoo Grew As He Became More Popular

The Australia Zoo started off as a small Reptile park and then slowly grew. However, the success of his show, The Crocodile Hunter gave Steve the freedom to fulfill one of his lifelong dreams of expanding the Australia Zoo to include more animals and a Crocoseum. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


He wanted people to have the chance to see how crocodiles behave in nature by housing them in clear water ponds. He wanted to show how crocodiles use the murkiness of the water to camouflage from their prey. The Australia Zoo grew to be home to hundreds of local and exotic animals.

Steve's Main Goal Was To Create Awareness About Conservationism

Most people tuned into the show, The Crocodile Hunter to witness Steve's antics while going head-to-head with some of the world's most feared creatures. However, his main goal was to educate the public about the animals and eliminate the many myths surrounding them. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


He wanted to create history and continue his father's work and the work of Jacques Cousteau, whom he considered a hero. He wanted to go beyond just media and use other mediums to get the word out there, and he did just that.

Bindi Irwin Was Born In 1998

Steve and Terri welcomed their first child, a daughter, Bindi Sue Irwin, in 1998, and she began appearing on her dad's shows at the age of two. She regularly appeared on Steve's shows, was always a daddy's girl, and at the age of nine, she hosted a children's wildlife documentary TV series called Bindi the Jungle Girl. 



Photo Courtesy: [BindiIrwin/Twitter]


She has become a television staple; she won the twenty-first season of Dancing With the Stars and works alongside her mom and brother in Crikey! It's the Irwins. She has also gotten married and welcomed her own daughter into the world.

His Daughter Bindi, Was Named After His Two Favorite Pets

Terri and Steve's only daughter and first child Bindi Sue Irwin was named after Steve's two favorite animals, Bindi the saltwater crocodile and Sui the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Steve stated that his children were the reason he was put on this Earth. 



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Bindi went on to become an actress, singer, model, dancer, and conservationist. She was a daddy's girl and was typically by Steve's side while he worked. She, along with her mother and brother, has continued to carry on Steve's legacy.

Steve Was A Big Fan Of The Brisbane Broncos

Steve was a major Brisbane Broncos fan, which is a rugby team based out of the Queensland capital. In fact, one time, he showed up to the Bronco's training camp and asked to tackle the largest player on the team, Shane Webcke. He, of course, was crushed by Shane, but even with being destroyed, he was reportedly as happy and jolly as could be. 



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He also supported the rugby union and was a fan of the national team, the Wallabies. You can even watch a behind-the-scenes episode of The Crocodile Hunter that showed Steve and the crew finding a petrol station so they could watch the 1999 Rugby World Cup.

Steve Loved Jet Skiing And Diving

Steve loved jet skiing and was also a certified diver and would dive recreationally. He even assisted in a search and rescue effort in 2003 with his crew. There was a group of divers that had gone missing in Mexico, and it was Steve that saved Scott Jones, an American diver. 



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He spotted him sitting on a rock outcrop, and he swam there to save him. Jones was dehydrated but otherwise unharmed; unfortunately, Jones' friend Katie Vrooman could not be saved that day.

Steve Loved Martial Arts

Ex UFC fighter Kyle Noke worked as Steve's bodyguard for three years while The Crocodile Hunter was on television. Steve hand-picked Kyle because he was a fan of MMA and loved his fighting style. Kyle and Steve trained together every Wednesday morning in a special cage at the zoo that Steve made just for training. 



Photo Courtesy: [Jon Kopaloff/Contributor/Getty Images]


Kyle stated that Steve was always so excited to train that he would always be there early to warm up and practice. "He was super strong. Whenever he held you down, he'd get on top of you, and there was no way you could get him off of you." ------ Kyle Noke.

Steve's Best Friend Was Wes Mannion

Wes Mannion worked with Steve Irwin on The Crocodile Hunter and was Steve's best friend. In fact, Steve even saved Wes' life one time when he was attacked. A crocodile attacked Wes and bit him hard in the thigh, and Steve jumped in with a safety stick and subdued the crocodile. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


It allowed Wes to escape and survive. Wes struggled when Steve died and was visibly upset during his funeral. Steve was liked by so many, and it was a shock that he was killed by a stingray, which is normally a calm animal.

People Scared Steve More Than Animals Did

Throughout his career, Steve has spent time in various locations that were in the middle of wars and uprisings, including South America, East Timor, and Kenya. Witnessing the destruction by human beings weighed heavy on Steve's heart, and what scared him the most was protecting his children in a world like that. 



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He brought his family everywhere with him because he was afraid of them being the victims of a terrorist attack. He also stated that people scared him way more than any animal did.

Steve Saved Sacred Crocodiles In East Timor

In the aftermath of the East Timorese struggle for independence from Indonesia, Steve found out that two captive crocodiles were being badly neglected. Crocodiles were sacred to the Timorese people, and Steve called in to help. Steve explained in an interview the neglect that the crocodiles endured, such as the female was missing an eye, they were both being kept in festering pits and were reportedly being fed human body parts. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


Steve and his crew cared for the crocodiles, made them good enclosures, and gave their keepers tips on crocodile care. The Irwins also gave the local church leader money to build a new medical center for the people.

He Hated Flying On Planes

Steve would often split his time between Australia and the United States and then traveled all over the world for his shows but was actually not a fan of flying at all. He said he found flying boring, and he hated having to sit in one spot for hours upon hours. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


His flights from Australia to the US were fourteen hours, and he didn't like reading that long or watching multiple movies. "I haven't made it in the tabloids as the bloke who started the riots and stuff on the planes yet, but I guarantee you it will happen." ----- Steve Irwin.

Steve Irwin Was Awarded The Australian Centenary Medal In 2001

In 2001, Australia, the country he loved, awarded Steve with the Australian Centenary Medal for his service to global conservation and Australian tourism. Steve was happy to be honored, but the awards and fame didn't really matter to him; he just wanted to help and save animals. 



Photo Courtesy: [BindiIrwin/Twitter]


He was also nominated for Australian of the Year three years later and named the Queensland Australian of the Year. Australia never failed to recognize Steve's achievements and his work with the animals, and all the good he did.

Irwin Did A Cameo In Dr. Dolittle 2 In 2001

Steve Irwin played a role as himself in the movie Dr. Dolittle 2. He is in the part about an alligator warning Dr. Dolittle that he knows that Irwin is going to capture him and is set to attack him; however, Dr. Dolittle doesn't have time to warn Steve. 



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Steve also lent his voice for the character Trev in the movie Happy Feet. The film was in post-production when Steve died, so the movie was dedicated to him. The only movie Steve starred in a feature role was in The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course.

He Founded the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation (Later Called The Wildlife Warrior) In 2002

Steve Irwin founded the Steve Irwin foundation as a way to include and involve other caring people to support the protection of threatened, injured, or endangered wildlife. The foundation was later changed to the Wildlife Warriors and is now run by Terri, Bindi, and Robert Irwin. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


The foundation has several objectives and a few are to protect the animals, protect the natural environment, research, and provide information and education to the public and raise awareness of wildlife issues.

Steve Starred In The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course In 2002

Steve Irwin starred in the 2002 film The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, which was based on The Crocodile Hunter series. The film also starred his wife Terri, and the film follows Steve and Terri, who attempt to save a crocodile from poachers, but they find out the men are CIA agents. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


The agents want the crocodile because it accidentally swallowed an important satellite tracking beam. The scenes were never scripted, and the film earned $33.4 million with a $12 million budget.

In 2003, Steve Talked About Opening A Zoo In Las Vegas

Steve began floating around an idea of opening a zoo in Las Vegas in 2003. He wanted it to be an extension of the Australia Zoo brand, have only Australian animals, and be known for its hands-on approach like the Australia Zoo. 



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


He wanted to do it in Vegas because the city didn't have a zoo, and it was perfect for the exciting atmosphere of the popular tourist destination. He also loved Las Vegas, but when Steve died, the project was abandoned. The discussion came up again in 2009 by Las Vegas' mayor but has not been mentioned since.

Robert Irwin Was Born In 2003

Steve and Terri welcomed their son, Robert Clarence Irwin, in 2003. Robert has a love for all wildlife animals, wildlife photography, conservation, and teaching people about the importance of the natural world. Just like his father, his favorite animals are crocodiles. 



Photo Courtesy: [RobertIrwin/Twitter]


Robert has carried on his father's work and is passionate about his work at Australia Zoo and caring for their huge family of animals. Just like Steve, he trains Komodo dragons, feeds and wrestles the crocodiles, and wrangles the snakes.

In 2004, Irwin Caused Controversy When He Fed A Crocodile While Holding His Infant Son

Steve really caused a stir and a lot of controversy in 2004, when he was filmed feeding a crocodile with his infant son in the other arm. Steve immediately claimed the picture made it look like the baby was closer to the croc than he actually was. 



Photo Courtesy: [RobertIrwin/Twitter]


"Not once, ever never. The funny thing is I've been doing it with Bindi for like five odd years, and I would never endanger my children." ---- Steve Irwin. He did later apologize for scaring people but said his son was never in danger.

Steve Was Sued In June Of 2004

Steve Irwin was once sued by an Australian court in 2004. He was accused of interfering in the lives of animals like whales and penguins when he filmed his documentary on Antarctica. They claimed he had broken laws banning interaction with Antarctic wildlife. 



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He was later acquitted because they realized what he was doing was actually helping the animals, and he never did any harm to them. An Australian environmental agency stated that no action should be taken against him.

Steve Was Killed By A Stingray On September 4, 2006

On September 4th, 2006, Steve was filming his documentary, Ocean's Deadliest, but because of the weather, they were stalled for a short while. Steve decided to use that time to get some water shots for his daughter Bindi's program. They came across a huge eight-foot-wide stingray, and Steve wanted to get some shots. 



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They were going to get one more shot when the stingray started stabbing Steve. "All they could tell was that there was a two-inch injury right over his heart with blood pouring out. We got him in the boat, and he just sort of calmly looked up at me and said, 'I'm, dying,' and that was the last thing he said." -----Justin Lyons. Sadly, he was later pronounced dead.

Video Of Steve's Death Was Kept Private And Eventually Destroyed

Cameraman Justin Lyons was there the day Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray because they were shooting footage with him in the Great Barrier Reef. There was a second camera that continued to roll as the crew members tried to save Steve. 



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They let the camera roll because Steve always told them to never shut the camera off even during attacks because it could make good footage. The footage was handed over to the police for their investigation, and then the tapes were destroyed per the family's request.

Several Stingrays Were Found Dead After Steve's Death. It Was Assumed That It Was Fans Looking For Revenge

After Steve's death, there were nine dead and mutilated stingrays that were found on a beach on the east coast of Australia. Several environmentalists worried that it may have been targeted as an act of revenge for Steve's death by the stingray. 



Photo Courtesy: [Paul Souders/Contributor/Getty Images]


However, fishermen in the area were known to cut the tails off stingrays that were caught by accident. After this incident, Michael Horny from Irwin's conservation group asked fans to leave the stingrays alone as that would be the last thing that Steve would have wanted.

Steve's Funeral Was Not Accessible To The Public, Nor Is His Resting Place

Steve's funeral was only for family and close friends and took place at Australia Zoo. The local council gave the family permission to bury Steve at their zoo that the family has owned since 1970. Neither the funeral nor burial place was accessible to the public.



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At the end of the funeral, Steve's gear truck was loaded up and driven around the arena as a symbolic goodbye, and the zoo staff also spelled out Crikey in yellow flowers. Steve's gravestone is still not available for public viewing.

Steve's Family Was Offered A Formal State Funeral In His Honor But Chose Not To

John Howard, Australia's Prime Minister, offered to Steve's family a formal state funeral in his honor, but Steve's father refused. He stated that Steve would want to be remembered as an ordinary man, and they wanted a quiet funeral for his family and friends.



Photo Courtesy: [Marc Grimwade/Contributor/Getty Images]


They also buried him at Steve's precious zoo, which is exactly where he would want to be. There was a public memorial as well for Steve because the family knew his fans would want to say goodbye and show their respect to Steve. It was attended by five thousand people and watched live on TV by about three hundred million.

Net Worth Of $10 Million

Throughout his life, Steve Irwin created a wildlife empire, had a successful TV show, made movie appearances, and appeared in commercials. He was reportedly worth ten million at the time of his death, but he was never in it for the money. 



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He didn't care about fame, flashy things, or even the money; he just wanted to help animals and take care of the Earth. He really was just an amazing human being and loved by so many.

A Baby Gorilla Was Named After Him

The government of Rwanda named a baby gorilla after Steve Irwin in 2007 and the gorilla was named Ingufu, which means strength, in honor of Steve's contribution to wildlife issues.



Photo Courtesy: [TerriIrwin/Twitter]


There was also a 334,000-acre national park in northern Queensland named after him, and the road that runs by the Australia Zoo was named Steven Irwin Way. In addition, there is a parasite found in Koalas called Trypanosoma irwini after Steve, and an asteroid discovered in 2001 was named after him as well.

Steve Has A Ship Named After Him, the My Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin has a ship named after him, called My Steve Irwin, it is a 194-foot flagship of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and it was named My Steve Irwin in 2007. The ship conducted several campaigns to defend the world's oceans, such as protecting pilot whales in the Faroes to humpback whales off the Kimberley coast of Australia. 



Photo Courtesy: [Serendipityology/Own work/Wikipedia]


The Ship was also a part of shutting down six illegal Chinese drift-netters and six illegal toothfish poachers. It has also been a part of nine Antarctic whale defense campaigns in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and saved over six thousand whales from the illegal Japanese whaling fleet. The ship has now been retired.

Irwin Was Inspired By Sir David Attenborough

When Terri Irwin presented Sir David Attenborough with a Lifetime Achievement Award, she stated that he was Steve's inspiration. Attenborough said that Steve was a natural communicator that showed people how exciting the natural world is. 



Photo Courtesy: [World_Wildlife/Twitter]


Attenborough is best known for being a natural historian and broadcaster that created the Life series in association with BBC's Natural History Unit. Mark Townend called Steve a 'modern-day Noah.'

Bindi And Robert Continue To Carry On Their Father's Legacy

Both of Steve's children, his daughter Bindi and his son Robert, carry on their father's legacy with their own conservation work. Both continue to help run his Australia Zoo, which was his pride and joy, and they continue on with the Wildlife Warriors program. 



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They also each have their own projects, but Robert, like his father, loves to wrestle crocodiles and wrangle snakes, even getting bit in the face just like his father did. Their mother, Terri, also works to keep Steve's memory alive and continues his zoo and conservation programs.

Robert Irwin Has Followed In His Dad's Shoes

Robert Irwin, Steve's son, is just like his father and loves all animals. He also shows no fear when dealing with snakes and crocodiles. Bob worked alongside his sister Bindi and mom Terri on Steve's Wildlife Warriors, and he co-hosted Wild But True for Discovery Kids Channel. 



Photo Courtesy: [Ryan Pierse/Staff/Getty Images]


Also, just like his father, he appeared on The Tonight Show, Starring Jimmy Fallon, and introduced a selection of animals. He was only three when Steve Irwin died but grew up just as his father had, alongside reptiles and all kinds of animals.

He Was Honored With A Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame In 2018

In 2001, Steve was honored by the Australian government, and in 2004, he was nominated as the Australian of the Year and named as the Queensland Australian of the Year.



Photo Courtesy: [Rove/Twitter]


After his death, he was honored by the University of Queensland's School of Integrative Biology with an adjunct professorship. On April 26, 2018, Steve was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and his wife Terri and children Bindi and Robert were there for the unveiling.