"Crickey!" is the catchphrase that shows the
exuberence and excitement that made Steve
Irwin a worldwide celebrity. He was known as the
"Crocodile Hunter" and gained notoriety as a
staunch conservationist and playful TV
personality.
Steve grew up around crocodiles and his father
started the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park,
so Steve was no stranger to getting down and
dirty with all sorts of creatures. For his sixth
birthday, Steve was given a 12-foot python.
Now that's a present!
In 1992 he renamed the park to the Australia
Zoo and performed various animal
demonstrations there. It was there that he met
his future wife, Terry. Terry is a yank from the
state of Oregon. The two were soon married
and for there honeymoon did a bit of
croc-hunting. This hunt became the first episode
of the world-famous The Crocodile Hunter. The
series took off, especially in America, and even
became the basis for the fictional action kids
movie The Crocodile Hunter.
In September of 2006, Steve was killed when a
stingray barb pierced his chest and heart while
filming a documentary in The Great Barrier
Reef. Steve left behind the Australia Zoo, a
legacy of conservation, a variety of wonderful
TV series, a lovely wife, 2 young children, and a
spirit that inspired and created smiles throughout
the world. Steve, you will be missed.
