Stephen Robert Irwin

Stephen Robert Irwin was born on the 22nd of February in Essendon Victoria in 1962 to Lyn and Bob Irwin. Bob Irwin taught the young Steve everything there was to know about reptiles including teaching his nine year old son how to jump in and catch wild crocodiles in the rives of north Queensland at night. Bob moved his family to Beerwah on the sunshine coast to start a small reptile park. Australia Zoo became a true family business. Bob and Lyn retired and handed down their business to their son Steve. This father and sons proud boast is that every crocodile in their zoo is either caught with their bare hands or bred and raised in their zoo.

Growing up in the zoo and taking part of the animals daily feeding care and maintenance, Steve has developed the greatest respect and understanding for all animals and that's something he is proud to share with all of his visitors to the zoo and his 500 million viewers world wide. In 1992 Steve married Terri Raines, a young American from Oregon USA, who he met whilst she was visiting the zoo. Terri co-starred with him in the Crocodile Hunter in 1996 and travelled with him around the world to help educate the public about the care and responsibility we all have to the natural world.

They had two children. Their daughter Bindi Sue Irwin born on the 24th of July 1998 and their son Robert Clarance Irwin born on the 1st of December on 2003. Sadly in 2006 Steve Irwin died due to a stingray attack of Port Douglas while diving off the Great Barrier Reef. Police say he was stung through the heart while shooting a documentary on Australia's most dangerous animals.

BY EMILY GRINDLEY