Steve Irwin‘s premature death was one of the biggest controversies in 2006. For all those who don’t know, Irwin was an Australian zookeeper who died in the year 2006. Irwin was not just a zookeeper but also an environmentalist, TV personality, and wildlife creator. He was an ardent animal lover who began zookeeping in 1991.
Zookeeping and environmentalism were Steve Irwin’s family businesses. Steve’s dad also owned a famous park named Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park. Irwin spent the majority of his life with reptiles and crocodiles. This is why he was also known as the ‘Crocodile Man’ or the ‘Crocodile Hunter’. However, the death of Irwin sparked a lot of controversies and public agitation. All of his fans and viewers were extremely shocked by the incident. So let us know how did the environmentalist die?
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How Did Steve Irwin Die?
Steve Irwin spent all his life with reptiles and crocodiles. He was filming ‘Ocean’s Deadliest‘, a documentary he hosted alongside Philippe Cousteau Jr., in the Great Barrier Reef. This was on September 4, 2006. Steve went snorkeling to get some shots for Bindi the Jungle Girl, a children’s nature program. This was because the Batt Reef was suspended due to bad weather. Irwin wanted to shoot Bindi so his daughter could present the same.
Subsequently, he went swimming using a diving mask. The same was in relatively shallow water when he spotted a short-tail stingray. Steve decided to follow in an effort to film. In an instant, the stingray rose up and began aggressively stabbing him with its stinger. The short-tailed stingray is the largest of the rays, measuring a whopping two meters across. It also has a sporting muscular tail that tapers to a barbed spine as long as eight inches.
When the whole incident occurred, Justin Lyons, the cameraman was there. Justin recalled witnessing the chilling incident and how the stingray wouldn’t stop. Lyons stated that within seconds, the stingray attacked Steve multiple times. The attack punctured Steve’s lungs and also his heart. This led him to bleed till death. Steve Irwin’s death was one of the few deaths in Australia due to Stingray. The whole incident was recorded in a video, but it was not made public.
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How Did Steve Irwin Become The Crocodile Hunter?
Steve Irwin was born on his mother’s 20th birthday in a Melbourne neighborhood. His father was English and Irish, while his mother was Swedish. He volunteered for Queensland’s East Coast Crocodile Management programmed and collected over 100 crocodiles. Some of which were moved to Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park. In 1998, Irwin renamed the park Australia Zoo. Irwin recorded crocodile tapping during his honeymoon which became the first Crocodile Hunter episode.
The series premiered in 1996 in Australia and in 1997 in North America. ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ reached 500 million people in the US, the UK, and 130 other countries. Irwin’s energetic presenting manner, broad Australian accent, characteristic khaki shorts, and catchphrase ‘Crikey!’ made him popular worldwide. Animal Planet terminated ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ with ‘Steve’s Last Adventure‘. The last Crocodile Hunter documentary featured Irwin’s adventures in the Himalayas, Yangtze River, Borneo, and Kruger National Park.
Steve Irwin Family
Steve Irwin was married to conservationist Terri Raines in 1992. Steve also had two children a daughter and a son. Talking about Steve and Terri’s story, Terri Raines recalled how it was love at first sight. The duo met in 1991 in Oregon. Terri Raines came to visit the wildlife rehabilitation facilities and decided to visit the zoo. There she met Steve Irwin and they fell for each other. Terri Raines stated how Steve for her was different from the world.
After almost a year Steve and Terri tied the knot in Eugene in 1992. Further, in 1998, Steve and Raines welcomed their first baby girl, Bindi Sui Irwin who was named after Steve’s famous crocodiles. After some years in 2003, Robert Irwin, their son was born. When Irwin died, on September 9, 2006, there was a private funeral. Later that day, Irwin was laid to rest in a private ceremony at the Australian Zoo.
Steve Irwin’s Legacy
Steve left a lasting impact on so many people across the globe. Australia mourned his death. The PM and Opposition Leader gave condolence remarks, and hundreds of fans visited Australia Zoo. Steve’s legacy continues at Australia Zoo. The Irwins manage a wildlife hospital, and Steve’s foundations serve people and animals. Irwin’s snapping turtle, Elseya Irwini, and Crikey Steveirwini are named after Steve. November 15 is marked as Steve Irwin’s Day.
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