The name Steve Irwin is now synonymous with three Cs – Conservation, Crocodiles and Crikey! Travelling around the world, he entertained and educated viewers with his television show “The Crocodile Hunter”. Google celebrated the 57th birth anniversary of the legendary wildlife enthusiast with a doodle.
Steve was born in Essendon, near Melbourne, Australia on February 22, 1962 to Lyn and Bob Irwin. His father was a wildlife expert and his mother, a wildlife rehabilitator. He was known to have cultivated his love for wildlife from his childhood. Eventually, Steve helped to monitor, study and relocate crocodiles living too close to populated areas, which lead to his love and respect for these aquatic reptiles, according to Google's blog.
In fact, instead of a honeymoon, Steve and his wife Terri went to Australia to help rescue a crocodile from a poacher. The efforts were filmed and went on to the become the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter . The show went on for 14 years, being filmed in locations across Australia and around the world. During its peak, the show aired in over 100 countries, reaching nearly 500 million people.
In 1998, Steve changed the name of his family park to the Australia zoo. Today, Australia Zoo is still growing with more than 1,200 animals, and nearly 1,000 acres. Steve and Terri have two children who accompanied their parents during their pursuits. Steve continued filming documentaries and his conservation efforts till his death in 2006, when a sting ray barb punctured his heart. He was shooting for a documentary when the accident occurred.
