Steve Irwin.

Stephen Robert Irwin

Steve Irwin — Activist

Born 22 Feb 1962 Essendon, Australia

Died 4 Sep 2006 Port Douglas, Australia

Citizenship Australia

Would Be 64 yr If Living

11 min read

Reading time

2,165

Words

Jun 20, 2026

Published

28

Film credits

2

Books

2

Awards

TL;DR

Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, died on September 4, 2006 at age 44 from a stingray attack. He was a wildlife conservationist and television personality. His family continues his work at Australia Zoo, and he received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2018.

Identity & family.

KIN · 5

Names, aliases, and relatives of Steve Irwin — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Birth Name Stephen Robert Irwin

Nicknames The Crocodile Hunter, Steveo

PARENTS: Lyn Irwin Bob Irwin
SPOUSES: Terri Irwin
CHILDREN: Robert Irwin Bindi Irwin

At a glance.

STATS

Steve Irwin by the numbers — life, work, and family.

44 Years lived

28 Film credits

2 Books

2 Awards

1 Marriage

2 Children

Who was Steve Irwin?

BIOGRAPHY

Steve Irwin — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Born in Essendon, Victoria, Australia in 1962, Steve Irwin grew up at the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, run by his parents Lyn and Bob Irwin. He helped feed and care for animals daily, developing a passion for wildlife. His family relocated to Beerwah, Queensland, where the park later became Australia Zoo.

His early handling of reptiles and crocodiles prepared him for his career. By his twenties, he assisted the Queensland government’s Crocodile Relocation Program, using non-tranquilizing methods to capture and move problem crocodiles.

Career

Steve Irwin’s career breakthrough came with the television series The Crocodile Hunter, which premiered in 1996 and ran until his death. The show, often filmed with his wife Terri, featured his hands-on approach to wildlife handling, especially with crocodiles. He also hosted spinoffs like Croc Files 1999, which detailed his conservation work.

Irwin appeared in films such as Dr. Dolittle 2 2001 as himself and voiced a character in Happy Feet 2006. He appeared on talk shows including Late Night with Conan O’Brien and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. His work earned him the Queensland Australian of the Year award and, posthumously, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.

Personal life

Steve married naturalist Terri Raines in June 1992, and they spent their honeymoon trapping crocodiles. They had two children: Bindi Sue Irwin, born July 24, 1998, and Robert Clarence Irwin, born December 1, 2003. Bindi’s name came from Steve’s favorite crocodile, and Robert’s name combined both grandfathers’ names.

Despite his fearlessness around crocodiles, Steve had an intense fear of parrots, especially sulfur-crested cockatoos, which began after a childhood incident. He owned a red and white motorbike for getting around Australia Zoo. The family dog, Sui, was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross.

Legacy

After his death in 2006, Steve Irwin’s conservation work continued through his family at Australia Zoo. A species of turtle named Elseya irwini honors him, along with a road called Steve Irwin Way in Beerwah and a Google Doodle on February 22, 2019. The documentary Ocean’s Deadliest 2007 and the animated film Happy Feet 2006 were dedicated to his memory.

In 2018, he became the first conservationist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He was posthumously inducted into the Queensland Leadership Hall of Fame in 2015. Steve Irwin inspired millions to care about conservation through his work.

Filmography.

FILMS · 28

Browse the complete filmography of Steve Irwin — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

TV

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

1993
TV

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

1992
TV

Good Day Live

2001
TV

V Graham Norton

2002
TV

The Frank Skinner Show

1995
TV

Entertainment Tonight

1981
TV

The Watcher

1995
Movie

Dr. Dolittle 2

2001
TV

The Crocodile Hunter

1997
TV

Croc Files

1999
TV

The Crocodile Hunter Diaries

2002
Movie

The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course

2002
Movie

Steve Irwin: He Changed Our World

2006
Movie

Hot Potato: the Story of the Wiggles

2023

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Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 2

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Steve Irwin — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

Queensland Australian of the Year award
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Bibliography.

BOOKS · 2

Steve Irwin's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

Amazon

The Crocodile Hunter

by Steve Irwin et al.
Amazon

Crocs and Gators

by Steve Irwin

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 10

A wall of memorable lines from Steve Irwin — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

If Something Ever Happens to Me, People Are Gonna Say ‘We Knew a Croc Would Get Him!’
Crikey, Mate. You’re Far Safer Dealing with Crocodiles and Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes Than the Executives and the Producers and All Those Sharks in the Big MGM Building.
I Have No Fear of Losing My Life If I Have to Save a Koala or a Crocodile or a Kangaroo or a Snake, Mate, I Will Save It.
Crocodiles. I’ve Been Catching Them Since I Was Nine. No Problem.
I Am a Wildlife Warrior, and I Will Fight, Fight to the Death for Wildlife.
On Illegal Poaching and Animal Testing: These Hitlers Use the Camouflage of Science to Make Money Out of Animals… so Whenever They Murder Our Animals and Call It Sustainable Use, I’ll Fight It. Since When Has Killing a Wild Animal, Eating It or Wearing It, Ever Saved a Species?
I’ll Meet My Match When I’m Dead.
My Job, My Mission, the Reason I’ve Been Put on This Planet, Is to Save Wildlife.
My Life Revolves Around Conservation. That Is My Work. That Is My Life, and I’ll Die Doing That.
My Dad Once Said to Me, If They’re Biting You, You Know You’ve Got ‘Em.

Did you know?

FACTS · 26

Little-known facts about Steve Irwin — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

Steve Irwin was being filmed when the stingray attacked him. His widow Terri Irwin received the only copy of the footage and says she destroyed it without watching it.
He instructed his camera crew to always keep filming and to only stop if he asked for help. He and Terri spent their honeymoon trapping crocodiles together.
More than 360 million people watched the Steve Irwin Memorial Service on Animal Planet on September 19, 2006.
He stopped personally greeting visitors at the zoo after he saw a little girl knocked down and seriously injured by a fan rushing to meet him.
In 2001, the Australian government awarded him the Centenary Medal for his contributions to global conservation and Australian tourism.
Daughter Bindi Sue Irwin was named after Steve’s favorite crocodile named Bindi and his dog Sui, who appeared in many episodes of The Crocodile Hunter.
A species of turtle, Elseya Irwini, was named after him.
On April 26, 2018, he was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 6320 Hollywood Boulevard, the first conservationist to receive that honor.
He was terrified of parrots, particularly sulfur-crested cockatoos, after a childhood incident where his father’s pet nearly bit off his nose. The only bird he felt comfortable with was a black cockatoo named Ularoo.
In early January 2004, he nearly faced child endangerment charges for a crocodile demonstration where he held his one-month-old son Bob in one arm while feeding a 13-foot crocodile with the other. He and Terri insisted their children were learning to be croc savvy.
He owned a red and white motorbike that he used to ride around Australia Zoo, helping staff know if he was on site.
In 2015, he was posthumously inducted into the Queensland Leadership Hall of Fame for his contributions to business and wildlife conservation.
His second child, Robert Clarence Irwin, was born on December 1, 2003 at 8:00 AM, weighing 7 pounds 4 ounces.
A road named Steve Irwin Way in Beerwah, Queensland on Australia’s Sunshine Coast was named in his honor.
His dog Sui was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross.
Robert Irwin, his second child, was named after both grandfathers: Steve’s father Robert and Terri’s father Clarence.
The documentary Ocean’s Deadliest 2007 and the animated film Happy Feet 2006 were dedicated to his memory.
Contrary to early reports that he pulled out the stingray’s barb, his cameraman confirmed that the barb was not removed and that the stingray’s venom made it impossible to save him.
Daughter Bindi Irwin was born on July 24, 1998 at 9:46 PM, weighing 6 pounds 3 ounces.
According to the coroner, the stingray barb did not pierce his heart but entered the right side of his chest. The cause of death was the venom, not the wound itself.
On February 22, 2019, Google honored him with a Doodle on what would have been his 57th birthday.
His first grandchild, Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, was born on March 25, 2021 to Bindi Irwin and Chandler Powell.
Friends noted that Irwin was more vulnerable in water than on land, as he was agile and quick-thinking on land but had less control in the ocean.
Like Timothy Treadwell, who was killed by a grizzly bear in 2003, Irwin was in his forties when he died.
He was the father-in-law of Chandler Powell, who married his daughter Bindi.
He practiced mixed martial arts, including wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 34

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Steve Irwin.

When was Steve Irwin born?

Steve Irwin was born on February 22, 1962 in Essendon, Victoria, Australia. He was the son of Lyn and Bob Irwin, who owned a reptile park.
Where was Steve Irwin born?

He was born in Essendon, Victoria, Australia. His family later moved to Beerwah, Queensland, where they operated the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park.
When did Steve Irwin die?

Steve Irwin died on September 4, 2006 at the age of 44. He was killed by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef.
How old was Steve Irwin when he died?

Steve Irwin was 44 years old at the time of his death on September 4, 2006. He was born on February 22, 1962.
Where did Steve Irwin die?

He died near Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia, in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef. The fatal stingray attack occurred during the filming of a documentary.
How did Steve Irwin die?

Steve Irwin died from a stingray attack. The stingray’s barb pierced his chest, and the venom caused his death. It happened while he was snorkeling for a documentary.
What was Steve Irwin's real name?

His full birth name was Stephen Robert Irwin. He was born on February 22, 1962 in Essendon, Victoria, Australia.
What was Steve Irwin's occupation?

Steve Irwin was a wildlife conservationist, television personality, and actor. He is best known for his show The Crocodile Hunter.
What nationality was Steve Irwin?

Steve Irwin was Australian. He was born in Essendon, Victoria, and grew up in Queensland.
What language did Steve Irwin speak?

His native language was English. He was born and raised in Australia.
Who were Steve Irwin's parents?

His parents were Lyn and Bob Irwin, both animal naturalists. They owned the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, where Steve grew up.
Who was Steve Irwin married to?

He married Terri Irwin on June 4, 1992. Terri, a naturalist, joined him on his adventures and co-starred in The Crocodile Hunter.
Did Steve Irwin have children?

Yes, he had two children: daughter Bindi Sue Irwin, born on July 24, 1998, and son Robert Clarence Irwin, born on December 1, 2003.
What awards did Steve Irwin win?

He received the Queensland Australian of the Year award and a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018. He also earned a Centenary Medal in 2001.
How many awards did Steve Irwin win?

He was honored with at least two major awards: the Queensland Australian of the Year and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. He also received the Centenary Medal and was inducted into the Queensland Leadership Hall of Fame.
What TV shows and movies is Steve Irwin known for?

He is best known for The Crocodile Hunter 1996, Croc Files 1999, and appearances in Dr. Dolittle 2 2001 and Happy Feet 2006 as a voice actor.
How tall was Steve Irwin?

Steve Irwin stood 5 feet 11 inches 1.79 m tall. His height was often noted during his television appearances.
What are Steve Irwin's nicknames?

He was popularly known as The Crocodile Hunter, which also became the title of his TV series. Close friends also called him Steveo.
Who are Steve Irwin's relatives?

His parents are Lyn and Bob Irwin, and he was married to Terri Irwin. He had two children, Bindi and Robert, and a grandchild named Grace Warrior Irwin Powell, born in 2021.
What was Steve Irwin's childhood like?

Steve Irwin grew up at the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, where he helped feed and care for animals. His parents were naturalists, and he developed a passion for wildlife from an early age.
How did Steve Irwin meet his wife?

He met Terri Raines in 1992 when she visited the zoo. They married on June 4, 1992 and spent their honeymoon trapping crocodiles.
What is Australia Zoo?

Australia Zoo is the zoo founded by Steve Irwin’s parents and later expanded by Steve and Terri. It became a major tourist attraction and conservation center.
What was Steve Irwin's phobia?

He had a fear of parrots, especially sulfur-crested cockatoos, after a childhood incident where one nearly bit off his nose. He was comfortable only with a black cockatoo named Ularoo.
What species is named after Steve Irwin?

A species of freshwater turtle, Elseya irwini, was named after him to honor his conservation work.
What happened to the footage of Steve Irwin's death?

The footage of the fatal stingray attack was given to his widow Terri Irwin. She has stated that she destroyed it without ever viewing it.
What legacy did Steve Irwin leave?

Steve Irwin’s legacy includes his conservation work at Australia Zoo, a species of turtle named after him, a road named Steve Irwin Way, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
How many people watched Steve Irwin's memorial service?

Over 360 million people tuned in to watch the Steve Irwin Memorial Service on Animal Planet on September 19, 2006.
Was Steve Irwin afraid of anything?

Despite his fearlessness around crocodiles and dangerous animals, he was terrified of parrots. He also felt more vulnerable in water than on land.
How did Steve Irwin's children get their names?

Daughter Bindi Sue was named after Steve’s favorite crocodile Bindi and his dog Sui. Son Robert was named after both grandfathers: Robert Irwin Steve’s father and Clarence Terri’s father.
What did Steve Irwin do for the environment?

He conducted wildlife education through his TV shows, rescued and relocated crocodiles, and expanded Australia Zoo. His work earned him the Centenary Medal in 2001.
Was Steve Irwin a mixed martial artist?

Yes, he practiced mixed martial arts, particularly wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Did Steve Irwin appear in any movies?

Yes, he made cameo appearances in Dr. Dolittle 2 2001 as himself and voiced a character in Happy Feet 2006. He also appeared on many talk shows.
What is the Crocodile Hunter TV show?

The Crocodile Hunter was a wildlife documentary series that aired from 1996 to 2006. It featured Steve Irwin’s adventures with dangerous animals and his conservation message.
How did Steve Irwin handle crocodiles?

He used non-tranquilizing, humane methods to capture and relocate crocodiles, which he demonstrated on his TV shows. He often handled large crocodiles by hand.

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Audited & updated by

Sophia has 4 years of editorial experience and a habit of becoming the person any team leans on when they need to know where something stands. At Famousy, she manages the content pipeline, coordinates reviews, and handles the detail work that keeps a large editorial operation from falling apart. She reads a lot of profiles in the process and she's developed a sharp instinct for when something doesn't feel right. She flags it. It usually is.

Published on June 20, 2026

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