Steve Irwin Day – 15th November
2015.11.15.

Steve Irwin 1962 – 2006
(“The Crocodile Hunter”)

Steve Irwin’s parents established the small Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park in 1973 at the Australian sunshine coast which was later renamed as Australia Zoo by Steve. Steve grew up there and spent his childhood among crocodiles and other reptiles. He was attracted to the animals especially to reptiles as a little child. He caught his first venomous snake at the age of six because he wanted to protect it against the cars on the roads.

His father worked out a special technique to catch crocodiles without hurting them, which was later very useful for Steve. Steve caught his first crocodile at the age of nine. Later, Steve caught crocodiles alone regularly to save them from those places where the conflict between animals and humans would cause their death. At that time he got the name The Crocodile Hunter although he never hunted any animals in his life. He replaced the caught animals into other rivers or found a new home for them in their family reptile park.



He takes over the leadership of the zoo from his father in 1991. In the same year he meets Terri Raines, a puma specialist. They get married in 1992 and they continue their fight for saving the animals together. They have two kids, Bindi and Bob (they were named after their favourite dog and crocodile). The income from his television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series was used to expand their zoo.

They made more than 150 films between 1992 and 2006. Irwin achieved worldwide fame around that time. Steve is not changed by the reputation, he continues to work obsessed and all the income is used to develop the zoo which becomes Australia’s biggest reptile park and zoo.

Besides, Steve establishes many foundations for saving animals. Among others: Wildlife Warriors Worldwide which is an international organisation and serves the protection of species in dangers and becoming extinct.

He establishes a foundation in Africa for protecting cheetahs because there are less than 10 000 of them in the world.

His elephant foundation still works in Sumatra and Cambodia.

He establishes Tiger foundation for protecting Sumatra tigers from extinction (there were more than 100 000 of them 100 years ago) and he cooperates with the biggest tiger reservation in South-East Asia, the Kerinci Seblat National Park, which lies on 1.4 million acre. The national park is protected by armed forced against cruel poachers.

He fights for the protection of crocodiles and against crocodile hunting in Australia.



He creates a defensive program in Cambodia where only 250 Siam crocodile live.

He also establishes a foundation in Australia for protecting Tasmanian devils.

Moreover he keeps working on a plan to protect the African rhinoceros.

Steve also makes a huge effort to ban whale and shark hunting on the earth.
The aim of his foundation for grey reef sharks is to ban hunting them for their flippers.

He made steps for the protection of giant tortoises.

Steve’s team cooperates with the bear protecting foundation in China.

The wild protecting hospital of Australia Zoo is open 24 hours a day and offers medical help for FREE of charge to any kind of sea or forest animals.



In 2002 Steve invested 40 million dollars into the expansion of the zoo on 3400 acres. He also established the Crocoseum in his reptile park which is the biggest crocodile representing place of the world.

He established half a million acre reservation in different continents for propagation programs of endangered species. He bought lands for reservation in Australia, Vanuatu, Fiji and some parts of America.



Steve Irwin always acted for the animals in his life.

Steve said about his work: ‘My task in the world is to protect the animals. And I will do it till my death. If I have to give my life to save a koala, a kangaroo, a crocodile or a snake, I will do it. This is my fate.’

Steve Irwin was in the middle of making a wildlife documentary at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia when he was fatally pierced in the chest by a stingray 20-cm-spine. Although he tore the spine immediately, he lost his consciousness and never gained it back because of blood loss. Not only the Australian wildlife but the whole world suffers from his loss.



Steve did what he loved until the last moment of his life. Many people followed him after his death and he became an idol. His foundations still work with the leadership of his wife and kids.

November 15th was named Steve Irwin Day in Australia in his honour.

STEVE IRWIN did so much for the animals on Earth during his 43 years which has never happened before. The Fighter is now sleeping forever. It is our turn to continue what he started.

A Tetszik gomb eléréséhez sütik engedélyezése szükséges.

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