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Steve Irwin

by Taylor from Peach Tree

A hero is brave, courageous, and is not a self-centered person. They save people and other things too. One hero that I believed in was Steve Irwin. He saved animals, mostly fierce and misunderstood ones. Dangerous animals like snakes, alligators, crocodiles, and lizards to name a few. He was also known as the Crocodile Hunter. He was not self-centered. He studied animals to find ways to help and save them. Steve helped his dad when he was young. He learned how to handle animals from his dad. He owned zoos and animal conservations. Every time he got enough money he bought land for animals. He was brave. While filming a movie in 2002 he dragged his friend from the jaws of a crocodile. He was a great person.

Steve Irwin grew up in Australia and helped his parents with their Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park. It was there that he learned all he could about animals. In 1992, he aired his first show, “Crocodile Hunter,” in Australia. He focused mainly on the capture and relocation of crocodiles and alligators. He met his wife while staging a crocodile demonstration at his parent’s park. Four months later they were married and while honeymooning in North Queensland, Australia, they shot the first footage of him wrestling with crocodiles that would air on the Discovery Channel in the United States. His fame grew from then on and he became a warrior for wildlife. He founded the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation, started the Australia Zoo in Queensland and, along with his wife, Terri, and their two children, Bindi and Bob, they turned large tracts of land into wildlife refuges. Steve Irwin made people think about the most deadly and unloved creatures like crocodiles, snakes, and alligators. They have a place in the circle of life and he was willing to fight for it (Women’s Weekly, August 2006).

Sadly and suddenly at the age of 44, Steve Irwin was killed by the barb of a stingray while filming a segment of his documentary with Jacques Cousteau’s son, Philippe, off the coast of Australia. He was snorkeling at Batt Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef, when the incident occurred. His enthusiasm about nature conservation and the environment won the hearts of people around the world. He wanted to leave the world a better place and educate people about the importance of wildlife conservation. “He has left a legacy,” said good friend and Crocodile Hunter filmmaker John Stainton. He was a hero for wildlife and the environment and a hero in the hearts of so many people, including me (“Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin dead, CNN.com).

Steve Irwin and Crocodile (Australia Zoo web site)
Steve Irwin and Crocodile (Australia Zoo web site)

Page created on 10/19/2006 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 10/19/2006 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

Related Links

Australia Zoo - Photos of Steve Irwin - "The Crocodile Hunter"