മുതലവേട്ടക്കരൻ എന്ന അപരനാമത്തിൽ അറിയപ്പെട്ട സ്റ്റീഫൻ റൊബർട്ട് ഇർവിൻ പ്രശസ്തനായ പ്രകൃതി ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞനായിരുന്നു. അദ്ദേഹം ഒരു ടെലിവിഷൻ അവതാരകനും, വന്യജീവി സംരക്ഷണപ്രവർത്തകനും കൂടിയായിരുന്നു. പത്നി ടെറിയോടൊപ്പം നാറ്റ് ജിയൊ ചാനലിൽ അവതരിപ്പിച്ച ‘മുതലവേട്ടക്കാരൻ’ എന്ന ടെലിവിഷൻ പരിപാടിയാണ് അദ്ദേഹത്തെ ഏറെ പ്രശസ്തനാക്കിയത്. 2006 സെപ്റ്റംബർ 4-ന് കടൽ തിരണ്ടിയുടെ കുത്തേറ്റു മരിച്ച ഇർവിന്റെ പേരിൽ ഒരു കപ്പലും നാമകരണം ചെയ്യപ്പെടുകയുണ്ടായി.

സ്വന്തം അമ്മയുടെ പിറന്നാൾ ദിനത്തിൽ ലൈൺ, ബോബ് ദമ്പതിമാരുടെ മകനായി ഓസ്ട്രേലിയയിലെ മെല്ബേണിലെ പ്രാന്തപ്രദേശത്താണ് സ്റ്റീവ് ജനിച്ചത്. 1970-ൽ അച്ഛനമ്മമാരോടൊപ്പം സ്റ്റീവ് ക്യൂൻസ്ലാൻഡിലേക്ക് താമസം മാറ്റി.തന്റെ അച്ഛൻ പാമ്പുകളെക്കുറിച്ചു പഠിച്ചിരുന്ന ശാസ്ത്രജ്ഞനായിരുന്നെന്നും അമ്മ വന്യജീവി പുനരധിവാസ പ്രവർത്തകയായിരുന്നെന്നും സ്റ്റീവ് പറയുകയുണ്ടായി.ക്യൂൻസ്ലാൻഡിലേക്ക് മാറിയ ശേഷം അച്ഛനമ്മമാർ സ്ഥാപിച്ച ക്യൂൻസ്ലാൻഡ് ഉരഗ-വന്യമൃഗ സങ്കേതത്തിൽ മുതലകളോടൊപ്പം കളിച്ചു വളർന്നാണ് സ്റ്റീവ് തന്റെ ബാല്യകാലം പിന്നിട്ടത്.അവിടെ മൃഗങ്ങളെ ഊട്ടാനും, പരിപാലിക്കാനും മുൻകൈ എടുത്തത് സ്റ്റീവ് തന്നെ ആയിരുന്നു. സ്റ്റീവിന് ആറാം പിറന്നാൾ സമ്മാനമായി കിട്ടിയത് പന്ത്രണ്ടടി നീളമുള്ള ഒരു പെരുമ്പാമ്പായിരുന്നു. ഒമ്പതാം വയസ്സ് മുതലേ മുതലകൾ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ കളിക്കൂട്ടുകാരായിരുന്നു. 1979-ൽ കലൌണ്ട്ര സംസ്ഥാന ഹൈസ്കൂളിൽ നിന്നും സ്റ്റീവ് ബിരുദം നേടി.പിന്നീട് വടക്കേ ക്യൂൻസ്ലാൻഡിലേക്ക് പോകുകയും, മുതല പിടുത്തക്കാരനായി ജോലിയിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു. ആൾത്താമസമുള്ള മേഖലകളിൽ നിന്നും അപകടകാരികളായ മുതലകളെ പിടിച്ച് സങ്കേതത്തിൽ എത്തിക്കുക എന്നതായിരുന്നു ദൌത്യം.ഈ സേവനം പ്രതിഫലമില്ലാതെയാണ് സ്റ്റീവ് ചെയ്തുകൊണ്ടിരുന്നത്.അച്ഛന്റെ പാത പിന്തുടർന്ന് തീരദേശമേഖലയിലെ മുതലകളെ സംരക്ഷിക്കുന്ന സംഘത്തിൽ സ്റ്റീവും സന്നദ്ധ പ്രവർത്തകനായി.

ബോബ് ഇർവിൻ, ലിൻ എന്നിവരുടെ പുത്രനായി ഓസ്ട്രേലിയയിലെ മെൽബണിൽ 1962-ൽ ജനിച്ചു. പിതാവ് ബോബ് ഉരഗങ്ങളിൽ താത്പര്യമുള്ള മനുഷ്യനായിരുന്നു. കൊച്ചു സ്റ്റീവും മുതലകൾക്കും മറ്റുരഗങ്ങൾക്കുമൊപ്പം വളരാൻ തുടങ്ങി. ഒൻപതാമത്തെ വയസ്സിൽ സ്റ്റീവ് മുതലകളുമായി അടുത്തിടപഴകാൻ തുടങ്ങി.

1972-ൽ ക്വീൻസ്‌ലാൻഡിലേക്കു കുടുംബം മാറി. പിതാവും മാതാവും ചേർന്ന് അവിടെ മുതലകൾക്കും അപൂർവ്വജീവികൾക്കുമായൊരു മൃഗശാലതുടങ്ങി. അതോടെ സ്റ്റീവിനും തനിക്കിഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട വിധത്തിൽ മൃഗങ്ങളോട് കൂടുതൽ അടുക്കാനവസരം ലഭിച്ചു. 1979-ൽ ഔപചാരിക വിദ്യാഭ്യാസം പൂർത്തിയാക്കിയ സ്റ്റീവ്, അതിനുശേഷം ജനനിബിഡമായ പ്രദേശങ്ങളിലെ അപകടകാരികളായ മുതലകളെ പിടിക്കുക എന്ന ജോലി ഏറ്റെടുത്തു. പണം വാങ്ങാതെ ചെയ്തിരുന്ന ഈ ജോലിയിൽ പിടിക്കപ്പെട്ട മുതലയെ സ്വന്തം മൃഗശാലയിലേക്കായിരുന്നു ഇർവിൻ മാറ്റിയിരുന്നത്. പിതാവിന്റെ കാലടികൾ പിന്തുടർന്ന സ്റ്റീവ്, ക്വീൻസ്‌ലാൻഡ് സർക്കാരിന്റെ മുതല സംബന്ധ കാര്യങ്ങളുടെ നിർവ്വഹണ പദ്ധതിയിൽ സന്നദ്ധ സേവകനായിത്തീർന്നു.

1991-ൽ മൃഗശാല സ്റ്റീവിനായി ലഭിച്ചതുമുതലാണ് ശരിക്കും പ്രശസ്തിയിലേക്കുയർന്നു തുടങ്ങിയത്. മൃഗശാലയിലെത്തുന്നവരെ വീണ്ടും ആകർഷിക്കുന്ന വ്യക്തിത്വവും അപകടകരങ്ങളായ പ്രദർശനങ്ങളും സ്റ്റീവിനെ പൊതുജനങ്ങൾക്കു പരിചിതനാക്കി. ഡിസ്കവറി നെറ്റ്‌വർക്സിൽ, പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ആനിമൽ പ്ലാനറ്റ് ചാനലിൽ, സം‌പ്രേഷണം ചെയ്തു വന്ന ദ ക്രോക്കഡൈൽ ഹണ്ടർ എന്ന പരമ്പരയാണ്. സ്റ്റീവിനെ കൂടുതൽ പ്രശസ്തനാക്കിയത്. 1992-ൽ മൃഗശാലയിലെ പ്രകടനത്തിനിടയിൽ വെച്ചു പരിചയപ്പെട്ട ടെറി റെയ്ൻസ് എന്ന യുവതിയെ ഇർവിൻ വിവാഹം ചെയ്തു. ടെറിയുമായൊത്തുള്ള മുതലപിടുത്ത മധുവിധുവാണ് പരമ്പരയുടെ ഏറ്റവുമാദ്യത്തെ ഭാഗം.

ടെലിവിഷൻ പരമ്പരകൾക്കു പുറമേ ഒന്നു രണ്ടു സിനിമകളിലും സ്റ്റീവ് ഇർവിൻ അഭിനയിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. തുറന്ന പെരുമാറ്റവും, ഊർജ്ജസ്വലമായ അവതരണവും, ജീവികളേയും അവയുടെ സ്വഭാവത്തെയും കുറിച്ചുള്ള അവബോധവും ഇർവിനെ പൊതുജനങ്ങൾക്ക് പ്രിയപ്പെട്ടവനാക്കി. സ്റ്റീവ് ഇർവിന്റെ സാന്നിദ്ധ്യം ഓസ്ട്രേലിയയിലേക്കുള്ള വിനോദ സഞ്ചാരത്തിന്റെ കുതിച്ചു കയറ്റത്തിനു തന്നെ കാരണമായെന്നാണ് പൊതുവേയുള്ള കണക്കുകൂട്ടൽ.

സ്റ്റീവ്, പരിസ്ഥിതി സംരക്ഷണത്തിനുവേണ്ടി സ്വയം സമർപ്പിച്ചവനായിരുന്നു. കൂടാതെ പരിസ്ഥിതിവാദവും ജീവികളെ സംരക്ഷിക്കേണ്ടതിന്റെ ആവശ്യകതയേയും കുറിച്ച് ജനങ്ങളെ ബോധവൽക്കരിക്കുന്നതിൽ വിജയിച്ചവനുമായിരുന്നു. നാശോന്മുഖ ജീവികളെ സംരക്ഷിക്കേണ്ടതിന്റെ ആവശ്യത്തിനായും ആവാസവ്യവസ്ഥകളുടെ നാശത്തിനെതിരേയും എന്നും പ്രവർത്തിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരുന്നു. “വന്യജീവികൾക്കുള്ള പോരാളിയായാണ് ഞാൻ സ്വയം കാണുന്നത്, എന്റെ ദൌത്യം നാശോന്മുഖ ജീവികളെ സംരക്ഷിക്കലാണ്” എന്നാണ് അദ്ദേഹം സ്വയം പറഞ്ഞിട്ടുള്ളത്.

ലോക വന്യജീവി പോരാളികൾ(Wildlife Warriors Worldwide) എന്ന സ്വതന്ത്ര പരിസ്ഥിതി പ്രസ്ഥാനത്തിന്റെ സ്ഥാപകനായ അദ്ദേഹം, ക്വീൻസ്‌ലാൻഡ് തീരത്തു നിന്നും ഒരു പുതിയ വംശം ആമയേയും(Elseya irwini) കണ്ടെത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. ഇർവിന്റെ ആമ എന്നാണ് ആ ആമഗോത്രം അറിയപ്പെടുന്നതു തന്നെ.

2004 ജനുവരി 2-നു തന്റെ ഒരു മാസം പ്രായമുള്ള പുത്രനേയും കൊണ്ടുള്ള പ്രകടനമായിരുന്നു സ്റ്റീവിന്റെ ജീവിതത്തിലുണ്ടായ ഏറ്റവും വലിയ വിവാദം. നാലുമീറ്റർ നീളമുള്ള മുതലയ്ക്കു ഭക്ഷണം കൊടുക്കുവാൻ പുത്രനേയും കൊണ്ട് ഒരുമീറ്റർ അടുത്തു വരെ ചെന്നു എന്നതാണ് സ്റ്റീവിന്റെ മേൽ ആരോപിക്കപ്പെട്ട കുറ്റം. അദ്ദേഹം കുറ്റം നിഷേധിക്കുകയും സംഭവത്തിന്റെ പൂർണ്ണ നിയന്ത്രണം തന്റെ കൈയിലായിരുന്നുവെന്നും, കുട്ടിക്ക് യാതൊരു അപകടവുമില്ലായിരുന്നുവെന്നും അവകാശപ്പെട്ടു. കൊച്ചു കുട്ടിയെ നീന്തലു പഠിപ്പിക്കുമ്പോളുള്ള അപകട സാധ്യത മാത്രമേ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നുള്ളു എന്നായിരുന്നു ഭാര്യ ടെറിയുടെ അഭിപ്രായം. പക്ഷെ പല ശിശു ക്ഷേമ സമിതികളും, മൃഗസംരക്ഷണ സംഘടനകളും, ടെലിവിഷൻ ചാനലുകളും സ്റ്റീവ് ഉത്തരവാദരഹിതനാണെന്ന് ആരോപിച്ചുവെങ്കിലും പോലീസ് കേസൊന്നുമുണ്ടായില്ല.

2004-ൽ തന്നെ ജൂൺ മാസത്തിൽ അന്റാർട്ടിക്കയിലെ വന്യജീവികളോട്(തിമിംഗലം, നീർനായ, പെൻ‌ഗ്വിൻ) സ്റ്റീവ് വല്ലാതെ അടുത്തു ചെല്ലുകയും ശല്യപ്പെടുത്തുകയും ചെയ്തു എന്നവകാശപ്പെട്ടാണ് രണ്ടാമത്തെ വിവാദം ഉണ്ടായത്. ആദ്യത്തെ വിവാദം പോലെ തന്നെ രണ്ടാമത്തെ വിവാദവും പെട്ടെന്നുതന്നെ കെട്ടടങ്ങി.

2006 സെപ്റ്റംബർ 4, ഓസ്റ്റ്രേലിയൻ പ്രാദേശിക സമയം 11:00 മണിക്ക് ഒരു പരമ്പരയുടെ ��ിത്രീകരണത്തിനായി ഗ്രേറ്റ് ബാരിയർ റീഫിൽ പ്രവർത്തിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ സ്റ്റിങ്‌റേ എന്ന തിരണ്ടി മീനിന്റെ ആക്രമണത്തിൽ കൊല്ലപ്പെടുകയാണുണ്ടായത്. അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ സുഹൃത്തും സഹപ്രവർത്തകനും മാനേജരുമായിരുന്ന ജോൺ സ്റ്റൈന്റണും കുറച്ചു സഹപ്രവർത്തകരും സംഭവസമയം കൂടെയുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. ജോൺ സംഭവത്തെ വിവരിച്ചത് പ്രകാരം, സ്റ്റീവ് ജലത്തിനടിയിൽ നിന്നും സ്റ്റിങ്‌റേയുമായി പൊങ്ങി വരികയും, നെഞ്ചിൽ തറഞ്ഞിരുന്ന തിരണ്ടിയുടെ വാൽ സ്വയം പറിച്ചെടുക്കുകയും തൊട്ടടുത്ത നിമിഷം മരിക്കുകയുമായിരുന്നത്രേ. ഹൃദയത്തിനേറ്റ മുറിവും ആഘാതവുമാണ് മരണകാരണമെന്ന് വെളിപ്പെട്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്. പരമ്പരയുടെ മദ്ധ്യേയുണ്ടായ സംഭവമായതിനാൽ വീഡിയോ ക്യാമറയിൽ മരണം പകർത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്.

-ദാരുണമായ ഈ രംഗങ്ങൾ വെള്ളത്തിനടിയിൽ നിന്നും പകർത്തുകയായിരുന്ന ക്യാമറാമാൻ ബെൻ ക്രോപ്പ് സ്റ്റീവിന്റെ അന്ത്യരംഗം വിവരിച്ചത് ഇങ്ങനെ.

Stephen Robert Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006), known simply as Steve Irwin and nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series co-hosted with his wife Terri (née Raines). Together, the couple also co-owned and operated Australia Zoo, founded by Irwin's parents in Beerwah, Queensland.

Irwin died on 4 September 2006 after being fatally pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship MY Steve Irwin was named in his honour, christened by his widow, who stated: "If Steve were alive, he'd be aboard with them!"

Irwin was born on his mother's birthday to Lyn and Bob Irwin in Essendon, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria.^[1] He moved with his parents as a child to Queensland in 1970. Irwin described his father as a wildlife expert interested in herpetology while his mother Lyn was a wildlife rehabilitator. After moving to Queensland, Bob and Lyn Irwin started the small Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, where Steve grew up around crocodiles and other reptiles.

Irwin became involved with the park in a number of ways, including taking part in daily animal feeding, as well as care and maintenance activities. On his sixth birthday he was given a 12-അടി (4 മീ) scrub python. He began handling crocodiles at the age of nine after his father had educated him on reptiles from an early age.^[2] Also at age nine he wrestled his first crocodile, again under his father's supervision.^[3] He graduated from Caloundra State High School in 1979. He soon moved to Northern Queensland, where he became a crocodile trapper, removing crocodiles from populated areas where they were considered a danger. He performed the service for free with the quid pro quo that he be allowed to keep them for the park. Irwin followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a volunteer for the Queensland Government's East Coast Crocodile Management program.

The park was a family run business, until it was turned over to Steve. He took over the running of the park, now called Australia Zoo (renaming it in 1992). Also that year, he appeared in a one-off reptile and wildlife special for television. In 1991, he met Terri Raines at the park, while performing a demonstration. The two married in June 1992, in Terri's hometown of Eugene, Oregon. The footage, shot by John Stainton, of their crocodile-trapping honeymoon became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter. The series debuted on Australian TV screens in 1996, and by the following year had made its way onto North American television. The Crocodile Hunter became successful in the United States and also, after repackaging by Partridge Films for ITV, in the UK.^[4] In 1998, he continued, working with producer and director Mark Strickson, to present The Ten Deadliest Snakes in the World. By 1999, he had become very popular in the United States, making his first appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. By this time, the Crocodile Hunter series was broadcast in over 137 countries, reaching 500 million people. His exuberant and enthusiastic presenting style, broad Australian accent, signature khaki shorts, and catchphrase "Crikey!" became known worldwide.^[5] Sir David Attenborough praised Irwin for introducing many to the natural world, saying "He taught them how wonderful and exciting it was, he was a born communicator."^[6]

A 2000 FedEx commercial with Steve Irwin lightheartedly dealt with the possibility of occupational death from snakebite and the fanciful notion that FedEx would have saved him, if only FedEx were used.^[7]

Under Irwin's leadership, the operations grew to include the zoo, the television series, the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation (renamed Wildlife Warriors), and the International Crocodile Rescue. Improvements to the Australia Zoo include the Animal Planet Crocoseum, the rainforest aviary and Tiger Temple. Irwin mentioned that he was considering opening an Australia Zoo in Las Vegas, Nevada, and possibly at other sites around the world.^[1]

In 2001, Irwin appeared in a cameo role in the Eddie Murphy film Dr. Dolittle 2, in which a crocodile warns Dolittle that he knows Irwin is going to grab him and is prepared to attack when he does, but Dolittle fails to warn Irwin in time. Irwin's only starring feature film role was in 2002's The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, which was released to mixed reviews. In the film Irwin (who portrayed himself and performed numerous stunts) mistakes some CIA agents for poachers. He sets out to stop them from capturing a crocodile, which, unknown to him, has actually swallowed a tracking transmitter. The film won the Best Family Feature Film award for a comedy film at the Young Artist Awards. The film was produced on a budget of about $12 million, and has grossed $33 million.^[8] To promote the film, Irwin was featured in an animated short produced by Animax Entertainment for Intermix.^[9]

In 2002, the Irwins appeared in the Wiggles video/DVD release Wiggly Safari, which was set in Irwin's Australia Zoo. It featured Irwin-themed songs written and performed by the Wiggles such as "Crocodile Hunter", "Australia Zoo", "Snakes (You can look but you better not touch)" and "We're The Crocodile Band". Irwin was featured prominently on the cover and throughout the movie.

In 2006, Irwin provided his voice for the 2006 animated film Happy Feet, as an elephant seal named Trev. The film was dedicated to Irwin, as he died during post-production.^[10] Another, previously incomplete scene, featuring Irwin providing the voice of an Albatross and essentially playing himself, was restored to the DVD release.

Animal Planet ended The Crocodile Hunter with a series finale entitled "Steve's Last Adventure." The last Crocodile Hunter documentary spanned three hours with footage of Irwin's across-the-world adventure in locations including the Himalayas, the Yangtze River, Borneo, and the Kruger National Park. Irwin went on to star in other Animal Planet documentaries, including The Croc Files, The Crocodile Hunter Diaries, and New Breed Vets.

As a part of the United States' "Australia Week" celebrations in January 2006, Irwin appeared at the Pauley Pavilion, UCLA in Los Angeles, California. During an interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Irwin announced that Discovery Kids would be developing a show for his daughter, Bindi Sue Irwin.^[11] The show, Jungle Girl, was tipped to be similar to The Wiggles movies, with songs that surround a story. A feature-length episode of Australian kids TV show The Wiggles entitled "Wiggly Safari" appears dedicated to Irwin, and he's featured in it heavily with his wife and daughter. The show includes the song "Crocodile Hunter, Big Steve Irwin".

In 2006, the American network The Travel Channel had begun to show a series of specials starring Irwin and his family as they travelled on cross-country tours.

Irwin was also involved in several media campaigns. He enthusiastically joined with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service to promote Australia's strict quarantine/customs requirements, with advertisements and posters featuring slogans such as, "Quarantine Matters! Don't muck with it". His payments for these advertising campaigns were directed into his wildlife fund.^[12]

In 2004, he was appointed ambassador for The Ghan, the passenger train running from Adelaide to Alice Springs in the central Australian outback, when the line was extended all the way to Darwin on the northern coast that year. For some time he was sponsored by Toyota.^[13]

He was also a keen promoter for Australian tourism in general and Queensland tourism in particular. In 2002, the Australia Zoo was voted Queensland's top tourist attraction.^[14] His immense popularity in the United States meant he often promoted Australia as a tourist destination there.^[15]

In 1997 whilst on a fishing trip with his father, Steve discovered a new species of turtle, Steve was given the honour of naming the newly discovered species and named it after his family; Irwin's Turtle Elseya irwini.

In 2001, Irwin was awarded the Centenary Medal for his "service to global conservation and to Australian tourism".^[16] In 2004, he was recognised as Tourism Export of the Year.^[17] He was also nominated in 2004 for Australian of the Year, an honour which was won by Australian Cricket Captain Steve Waugh.

Shortly before his death, he was to be named an adjunct professor at the University of Queensland's School of Integrative Biology. On 14 November 2007 Irwin was awarded the adjunct professorship posthumously by the University of Queensland.^[18] In May 2007, the Rwandan Government announced that it would name a baby gorilla after Steve Irwin as a tribute to his work in wildlife conservation.^[19] The Crocodile Rehabilitation and Research Centre in Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary was named by the Kerala government after late Steve Irwin.^[20]

In 2009, a genus and a species of Australian air-breathing land snail was named after Steve Irwin, the genus and species Crikey steveirwini Stanisic, 2009, in the land snail family Camaenidae.^[21]

ഇതും കാണുക: Wildlife Warriors

Irwin was a passionate conservationist and believed in promoting environmentalism by sharing his excitement about the natural world rather than preaching to people. He was concerned with conservation of endangered animals and land clearing leading to loss of habitat. He considered conservation to be the most important part of his work: "I consider myself a wildlife warrior. My mission is to save the world's endangered species."^[14] Irwin bought "large tracts of land" in Australia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the United States, which he described as "like national parks" and stressed the importance of people realising that they could each make a difference.^[22]

He had urged people to take part in considerate tourism and not support illegal poaching through the purchase of items such as turtle shells or shark-fin soup.^[23]

He founded the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation, which was later renamed Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, and became an independent charity. He was described after his death by the CEO of RSPCA Queensland as a "modern-day Noah," and British naturalist David Bellamy lauded his skills as a natural historian and media performer.^[24] Irwin and his father discovered a new species of turtle that now bears their name, Elseya irwini — Irwin's Turtle — a species of turtle found on the coast of Queensland.^[25]

He also helped to found a number of other projects, such as the International Crocodile Rescue, as well as the Lyn Irwin Memorial Fund, in memory of his mother (who was in a fatal car crash in 2000), with proceeds going to the Iron Bark Station Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.

Irwin, however, was criticised for having an unsophisticated view of conservation in Australia that seemed more linked to tourism than to the problems Australia faces as a continent.

In response to questions of Australia's problems with overgrazing, salinity, and erosion, Irwin responded, "Cows have been on our land for so long that Australia has evolved to handle those big animals." The Sydney Morning Herald concluded with the opinion that his message was confusing and amounted to "eating roos and crocs is bad for tourism, and therefore more cruel than eating other animals".^[26]

According to Terri, Sir David Attenborough was an inspiration to Irwin. When presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to Attenborough after Irwin's death at the British National Television Awards on 31 October 2006 Terri stated "If there's one person who directly inspired my husband it's the person being honoured tonight." She went on to say "[Steve's] real, true love was conservation - and the influence of tonight's recipient in preserving the natural world has been immense."^[27] Sir David reciprocated with praising Irwin for introducing many to the natural world, saying "He taught them how wonderful and exciting it was, he was a born communicator."^[6]

മുതലവേട്ടയിലെന്നപോലെ കുടുംബത്തോടും സ്റ്റീവ് അത്യധികം സ്നേഹം പ്രകടിപ്പിച്ചിരുന്നു. തന്നെ ഭൂമിയിലേക്കയച്ചത് ബിന്ദിക്കു ജന്മം നൽകാൻ വെണ്ടിയാണന്ന് അദ്ദേഹം ഒരിക്കൽ പറയുകയുണ്ടായി. വീട്ടിൽ നിന്നും സ്റ്റീവിനെ മാറ്റി നിർത്താൻ കഴിയുന്ന ഒരേയൊരു കാരനം മൃഗങ്ങൾ മാത്രമാണെന്ന് അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ പത്നി പറഞ്ഞിട്ടുണ്ട്.^[1]താൻ നാല്പതാം വയസ്സിൽ മരിക്കുമെന്ന വെളിപാട് സ്റ്റീവിന് പലവട്ടം ഉണ്ടായതായി ടെറി വെളിപ്പെടുത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്.^[28] She wrote about this in her book Steve and Me about their lives together.^[29]

1992-ലാണ് സ്റ്റീവ് ടെറി റെയിൻസ് എന്ന യുവതിയെ വിവാഹം ചെയ്യുന്നത്. അമേരിക്കയിലെ ഓറിഗോണിൽ വച്ചായിരുന്നു വിവാഹം. അവർ ആദ്യമായി കണ്ടുമുട്ടിയത് സ്റ്റീവിന്റെ മൃഗശാലയിൽ വച്ചായിരുന്നു. ആദ്യ ദൃഷ്ടിയിൽ തന്നെ പ്രണയം മുളപൊട്ടി. സ്റ്റീവിനെപ്പോലെ മറ്റാരും ഇല്ലെന്നതും, അദ്ദേഹം ടാർസൻ എന്ന കഥാപാത്രത്തെ അനുസ്മരിപ്പിക്കുന്നതുകൊണ്ടും, അദ്ദേഹത്തിനു നായക പരിവേഷം ഉള്ളതുകൊണ്ടുമാണ് താൻ അദ്ദേഹത്തെ വിവാഹം കഴിക്കാൻ താല്പര്യം കാണിച്ചത് എന്ന് ടെറി അഭിപ്രായപ്പെട്ടിട്ടുണ്ട്."^[30] തങ്ങൾ വളർത്തുന്ന മൃഗങ്ങൾക്കു അപകടകരമായേക്കാം എന്നതിനാൽ ഇരുവരും വിവാഹ മോതിരം അണിയാറുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല.^[31] ബിന്ദി സ്യൂ ഇർവിൻ(ജനനം 24 ജൂൺ 1998), റോബർട്ട് ക്ലാർൻസ് ബോബ്(ജനനം 1 ഡിസംബർ 2003) എന്നീ രണ്ടു കുട്ടികളാണ് ഈ ദമ്പതിമാർക്കുള്ളത്. സ്റ്റീവിന്റെ ഇഷ്ടമൃഗമായിരുന്ന ബിന്ദി എന്ന മുതലയുടെ ഓർമ്മയ്ക്കായാണ് മകളെ ബിന്ദി എന്ന് നാമകരണം ചെയ്തത്.

A controversial incident occurred during a public show on 2 January 2004, when Irwin carried his one-month-old son, Bob, in his arm while hand-feeding a chicken carcass to Murray, a 3.8-���ീറ്റർ (12 അടി 6 ഇഞ്ച്) saltwater crocodile. The infant was close to the crocodile, and comparisons were made in the press to Michael Jackson's dangling his son outside a German hotel window.^[32] In addition, child welfare groups, animal rights groups, and some of Irwin's television viewers criticised his actions as irresponsible and tantamount to child abuse.^[33] Irwin apologised on the US NBC Today Show.^[34] Both he and his wife publicly stated that Irwin was in complete control of the situation, as he had dealt with crocodiles since he was a small child, and based on his lifetime of experience neither he nor his son were in any danger. He also showed footage of the event shot from a different angle, demonstrating that they were much further from the crocodile than they had appeared in the publicised clip.^[35] Terri Irwin said their child was in no more danger than one being taught to swim. No charges were filed; according to one journalist, Irwin told officials he would not repeat the action.^[36] The incident prompted the Queensland government to change its crocodile-handling laws, banning children and untrained adults from entering crocodile enclosures.^[37]

In June 2004, allegations were made that he disturbed wildlife (namely whales, seals and penguins) while filming a documentary, Ice Breaker, in Antarctica. The matter was subsequently closed without charges being filed.^[38]

After Irwin's death, the vessel MV Robert Hunter owned by the environmental action group Sea Shepherd was renamed MV Steve Irwin in Steve's honour.^[39] Sea Shepherd is a controversial^[40][41] environmentalist group that conducts direct action operations to protect marine species and environments. Shortly before his death, Irwin had been investigating joining their 2007/08 voyage to Antarctica to disrupt Japanese whaling activity. Following his death, as an alternative the renaming of the vessel was suggested by Sea Shepherd and endorsed by his widow Terri.^[42]

After questions arose about Irwin being paid $175,000 worth of taxpayers' money to appear in a television advertisement and his possible political ties, Irwin told ABC that he was a conservationist and did not choose sides in politics.

His comments describing Australian Prime Minister John Howard as the "greatest leader in the world" earned him scorn in the media.^[43]

2003 നവംബറിൽ ഇർവിൻ മെക്സിക്കോവിലെ ബാജാ കാലിഫോർണിയ പെനിൻസുലയിൽ ഒരു ഡോക്യുമെന്റ്ററി ചിത്രീകരിച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കുന്ന വേളയിൽ, രണ്ട് സ്ക്യൂബാ ഡൈവർമാർ അപകടത്തിൽ പെട്ടിരിക്കുകയാണെന്ന വാർത്ത ബോട്ട് റേഡിയോ വഴി കേൾക്കുകയുണ്ടായി.ഇർവിനും സംഘവും ഉടനടി ചിത്രീകരണം നിർത്തിവയ്ക്കുകയും, അപകടത്തിൽ പെട്ടവരുടെ രക്ഷാപ്രവർത്തനത്തിന് സഹായിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തു.തന്റെ സംഘാംഗങ്ങൾ തിരച്ചിൽ നടത്തവേ, ഇർവിൻ ഉപഗ്രഹ സംപ്രേഷണത്തിന്റെ സഹായത്തോടെ ജീവൻ രക്ഷാ വിമാനത്തിന്റെ സേവനം ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു.രക്ഷാപ്രവർത്തനത്തിന്റെ രണ്ടാം ദിവസം മുങ്ങൽ വിദഗ്ദനായ സ്കോട്ട് ജോൺസിനെ രക്ഷപെടുത്താൻ സാധിച്ചു.ഇർവിൻ ആണ് സ്കോട്ടിനെ ബോട്ടിലേക്ക് എടുത്തു കയറ്റിയത്.ജോൺസ് സ്റ്റീവിനെ തിരിച്ചറിഞ്ഞില്ല. ക്യാറ്റി റൂമാൻ എന്ന കാണാതായ രണ്ടാമത്തെ ആളെ പക്ഷെ രക്ഷിക്കാൻ കഴിഞ്ഞില്ല.^[44]

In November 2003, Irwin was filming a documentary on sea lions off the coast of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula when he heard via his boat's radio that two scuba divers were reported missing in the area. Irwin and his entire crew suspended operations to aid in the search. His team's divers searched with the rescue divers, and Irwin used his vessel to patrol the waters around the island where the incident occurred, as well as using his satellite communications system to call in a rescue plane. On the second day of the search, kayakers found one of the divers, Scott Jones, perched on a narrow rock ledge jutting out from the side of a cliff. Irwin and a crewmember escorted him to Irwin's boat. Jones did not recognise Steve Irwin. The other lost diver, Katie Vrooman, was found dead by a search plane later the same day not far from Jones' location.^[45]

Having grown up in Essendon, Irwin was a fan of the Essendon Bombers, an Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League.^[46] Irwin took part in an Australian Rules football promotion in Los Angeles as part of "Australia Week" in early 2006.^[47] After his death, a picture of Irwin wearing a Bombers Guernsey was shown by ESPN.com in their Bottom 10 ranking of the worst Division I FBS college football teams after Week 1 of the season in tribute to him.^[48]

Like many Australians, he was a avid cricket fan. This was seen during his visit to Sri Lanka where he played cricket with some local children and said "I love cricket" and "It's a shame we have to go catch some snakes now". This was seen during the Crocodile Hunter episode “Island of the Snakes".^[49]

Living in Queensland most of his life, Irwin was also a fan of rugby league. As a teenager, he played for the Caloundra Sharks as a second-rower,^[50] and as an adult he was known to be a passionate Brisbane Broncos fan and was involved with the club on several occasions. On one occasion after turning up to training he asked if he could tackle the largest player, Shane Webcke. Despite being thrown to the ground and looking like he'd been crushed he was jovial about the experience. Irwin laughingly shared the experience with the Queensland State of Origin squad before the 2006 series.^[51] Irwin also supported rugby union, being a fan of the national team, the Wallabies. He once wore a Wallaby jersey during a demonstration at the zoo. A behind-the-scenes episode of The Crocodile Hunter showed Irwin and the crew finding a gas station in a remote part of Namibia to watch the Wallabies defeat France in the 1999 Rugby World Cup Final. Irwin was also a talented surfer.^[52]

Irwin loved mixed martial arts competitions and trained with Greg Jackson in the fighting/grappling system of Gaidojutsu.^[53]

• Irwin was the feature of The Wiggles "Wiggly Safari" 2002 DVD release.^[54]
• Irwin was particularly interested in Singapore Zoo, which he considered a sister institution of the Australia Zoo.^[55]
• In 2004, during an interview with Larry King, he admitted that he had a fear of parrots, having received many painful bites from the animals in the past.^[1]
• In 2005, in an interview for New Idea, he stated that he was afraid of being killed in a car crash.^[56]
• Terri Irwin has stated in an interview that Irwin believed in God.^[57] Stories that he had joined a church a short time before his death appear to be urban legend.^[58]

On 4 September 2006, Irwin was fatally pierced in the chest by a stingray spine while snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef, at Batt Reef, which is located off the coast of Port Douglas in north Queensland. Irwin was in the area filming his own documentary, Ocean's Deadliest, but weather had stalled filming. Irwin decided to take the opportunity to film some shallow water shots for a segment in the television program his daughter Bindi Irwin was hosting,^[59] when, according to his friend and colleague, John Stainton, he swam too close to one of the stingrays. "He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat the Croc One.

The events were caught on camera, and a copy of the footage was handed to the Queensland Police.^[60] After reviewing the footage of the incident and speaking to the cameraman who recorded it, marine documentary filmmaker and former spearfisherman Ben Cropp speculated that the stingray "felt threatened because Steve was alongside and there was the cameraman ahead." In such a case, the stingray responds to danger by automatically flexing the serrated spine on its tail (which can measure up to 25 cm/10 in in length) in an upward motion.

Cropp said Irwin had accidentally boxed the animal in. "It stopped and twisted and threw up its tail with the spike, and it caught him in the chest. It's a defensive thing. It's like being stabbed with a dirty dagger." The stinging of Irwin by the bull ray was "a one-in-a-million thing," Cropp told Time magazine. "I have swum with many rays, and I have only had one do that to me..."^[61]

Initially, when CNN's Larry King interviewed Irwin's colleague John Stainton late on 4 September 2006, Stainton denied the suggestion that Irwin had pulled the spine out of his chest or that he had seen footage of the event, insisting that the anecdote was "absolute rubbish."^[62] However, the following day, when he first described the video to the media, he stated, "Steve came over the top of the ray and the tail came up, and spiked him here [in the chest], and he pulled it out and the next minute he's gone."^[60]

It is thought, in the absence of a coroner's report, that a combination of the toxins and the puncture wound from the spine caused Irwin to die of cardiac arrest, with most damage being inflicted by tears to arteries or other main blood vessels.^[63] A similar incident in Florida a month later in which a man survived a stingray barb through the heart suggested that Irwin's removal of the barb might have caused or hastened his death.^[64] The coroner's report has not yet been released.

Crew members aboard his boat called the emergency services in the nearest city of Cairns and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to the nearby Low Islets to meet an emergency rescue helicopter. However, despite the best efforts of Irwin's crew, medical staff pronounced him dead when they arrived a short time later.^[59] According to Dr Ed O'Loughlin, who treated Irwin, "it became clear fairly soon that he had non-survivable injuries. He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest. He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing."^[65]

Irwin's body was flown to a morgue in Cairns. His wife, Terri Irwin, was on a walking tour in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in Tasmania at the time, and returned via a private plane from Devonport to the Sunshine Coast with their two children.^[59]

Fatalities due to stingrays are infrequent and occurrences are not consistently collated,^[66] while there have been several others in Australia. Irwin's death is believed to be the only fatality from a stingray ever captured on film.^[67]

Stainton told CNN's Larry King, "[The tape] should be destroyed".^[68] In an ABC interview with Barbara Walters, Irwin's wife Terri said she has not seen the film of her husband's deadly encounter with the stingray and that it would not be shown on television.^[69] On 3 January 2007, the only video footage showing the events that led to Irwin's death was handed over to Terri, who said that the video would never become public, and noted her family has not seen the video either.^[70] In an 11 January 2007 interview with Access Hollywood, Terri said that "all footage has been destroyed."^[71] Despite these statements, numerous videos, including screamers, surfaced on sites such as YouTube claiming to be footage of Irwin's death. Several pictures have also surfaced on Google Images.

Production was completed on Ocean's Deadliest, which aired for the first time on the Discovery Channel on 21 January 2007. The documentary was completed with footage shot in the weeks following the accident.^[72] According to Stainton, "Anything to do with the day that he died, that film is not available."^[73] Perhaps to maintain the film's original purpose as a nature documentary and prevent it from becoming a documentary of Irwin's final days, his death is not mentioned in the film, aside from a still image of Irwin at the end alongside the text "In Memory of Steve Irwin".

News of his death prompted widespread worldwide shock. Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard expressed his "shock and distress" at the death, saying that "Australia has lost a wonderful and colourful son."^[74] Queensland Premier Peter Beattie commented in a Channel Seven television interview that Irwin "will be remembered as not just a great Queenslander, but a great Australian".^[75] Several Australian news websites went down because of high web traffic and for the first time the top 10 list of most viewed stories for Fairfax Digital news sites were swept by one topic.^[76] Talk-back radio experienced a high volume of callers expressing their grief.^[77] Flags at the Sydney Harbour were lowered to half staff in honour of Irwin.^[78]

The U.S. feed of the Animal Planet cable television channel aired a special tribute to Steve Irwin that started on Monday, 4 September 2006. The tribute continued with the Animal Planet channel showing highlights of Irwin's more than 200 appearances on Discovery Networks shows.^[79]

On the evening of his death, Enough Rope re-broadcast an interview between Irwin and Andrew Denton originally broadcast in 2003. CNN showed a repeat of his interview on Larry King Live, originally recorded in 2004. The Australian federal parliament opened on 5 September 2006 with condolence speeches by both the Prime Minister John Howard and the Leader of the Opposition Kim Beazley. The Seven Network aired a television memorial show as a tribute to Irwin on 5 September 2006,^[80] as did the Nine Network on 6 September 2006.

Jay Leno delivered a tribute to Irwin, describing him as a great ambassador of Australia. Irwin appeared on Leno's talk show on more than ten occasions.^[81] There were also tributes on Live with Regis & Kelly and Barbara Walters' The View; on the former show, Kelly Ripa came close to tears with her praise of Irwin.^[81]

Hundreds of people visited Australia Zoo to pay tribute to the deceased entertainer and conservationist. The day after his death, the volume of people visiting the zoo to pay their respects affected traffic so much that police reduced the speed limit around the Glass House Mountains Road and told motorists to expect delays.^[82] BBC reported on 13 September 2006 that thousands of fans have been to Australia Zoo since Irwin's death, bringing flowers, candles, stuffed animals and messages of support.^[83]

Dan Mathews, vice-president of animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said it was "no shock at all that Steve Irwin should die provoking a dangerous animal." He added that "Irwin made his career out of antagonising frightened wild animals, that's a very dangerous message to send to children." He also made a comparison with another well known conservationist: "If you compare him with a responsible conservationist like Jacques Cousteau, he looks like a cheap reality TV star."^[84][85] The son of Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel Cousteau, also a producer of wildlife documentaries, also took issue with Irwin's hands-on approach to nature television. Cousteau said, "You don't touch nature, you just look at it." Although it "goes very well on television", Irwin's approach would "interfere with nature, jump on animals, grab them, hold them, and have this very, very spectacular, dramatic way of presenting things" which Cousteau felt is "very misleading".^[86]

Jacques Cousteau's grandson, Philippe Cousteau Jr., however, was himself working with Irwin on the "Ocean's Deadliest" documentary at the time of Irwin's death, and later described him as "a remarkable individual." Describing their project, he said, "I think why Steve was so excited about it that we were looking at these animals that people think of as, you know, dangerous and deadly monsters, and they're not. They all have an important place in the environment and in the world. And that was what his whole message was about."^[87]

In the weeks after his death, Irwin's conservation foundation Wildlife Warriors reported that thousands of people from around the world were offering their support via donations to the conservation group.

In the weeks following Irwin's death, at least ten stingrays were found dead and mutilated, with their tails cut off, on the beaches of Queensland, prompting speculation that they had been killed by fans of Irwin as an act of revenge. Michael Hornby, a friend of the late naturalist and executive director of Irwin's Wildlife Warrior fund, condemned any revenge killings.

"We just want to make it very clear that we will not accept and not stand for anyone who's taken a form of retribution. That's the last thing Steve would want," he said.^[88]

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie extended the offer of a state funeral to Irwin's family, an honour also agreed to by Prime Minister John Howard. The family decided that such a funeral would not have been appropriate, a sentiment echoed by many Australians outside media and political circles. Steve Irwin's father, Bob Irwin, stated that his son would not have wanted such an honour, and would want to be remembered as an "ordinary bloke."^[89] Beattie stated he would honour the decision of the Irwin family regarding their arrangements. Irwin was farewelled by family and friends at a private funeral service held at Caloundra on the afternoon of 9 September.^[90] The naturalist was buried in a private ceremony at the zoo on the same day. The grave is inaccessible to visitors of the Australia Zoo.^[83]

A public service was held at the 5,500-seat Crocoseum at Australia Zoo on Wednesday morning 20 September 2006. The service was broadcast live, commercial free, in the eastern states of Australia, by free-to-air channels Seven, Nine and the ABC in Australia, as well as live on subscription channel Sky News Australia. In addition, it was broadcast live around the world, particularly the United States, where the service was broadcast commercial free on Animal Planet, as well as to Asia and Germany. A BBC camera crew was also sent especially to Australia to cover the memorial service for the United Kingdom. It is estimated that over 300 million viewers worldwide watched the service.^[91] The memorial was also rebroadcast on Animal Planet on 1 January 2007 as part of their New Year's Day celebration, and again the following day.

Messages from around the world came from people including Hugh Jackman, Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Kelly Ripa and Larry King. Costner called him a fearless man who was brave enough to let people see him as he was.^[92]

Prime Minister John Howard made an early speech at the service, as did Irwin's father Bob and his daughter Bindi.

Wes Mannion and John Stainton also made speeches and David Wenham read a poem.^[92] Anthony Field from The Wiggles partly hosted the service, often sharing the screen with various animals, from koalas to elephants, and Australian music star John Williamson sang True Blue, which was Irwin's favourite song. Professor Craig Franklin of the University of Queensland told the crowd that the university was about to make Irwin an adjunct professor for his contributions to the study of crocodiles.^[93] In a symbolic finish to the service, Irwin's truck was loaded up with gear and driven out of the arena for the last time as Williamson sang.

In a final tribute, Australia Zoo staff spelled out Irwin's catchphrase "Crikey" in yellow flowers as Irwin's truck was driven from the "Crocoseum" for the last time to end the service. Flags on the Sydney Harbour Bridge flew at half mast on the day of the memorial service.

• Several permanent memorials for Irwin have already been considered or announced. Premier Peter Beattie suggested a national park be named after Irwin or a permanent memorial might be constructed in his honour, though the details of the structure would depend on Irwin's family.^[82]
• On 1 January 2007, Glasshouse Mountains Road, the road that runs by Steve and Terri Irwin's Australia Zoo, was officially renamed to "Steve Irwin Way".^[94]
• There will be a nature park in Australia named after Irwin, the Australian federal government announced in July 2007.^[95]

• Animal Planet will rename the garden in front of Discovery's world headquarters in Silver Spring, Montgomery County, Maryland, U.S., to the "Steve Irwin Memorial Sensory Garden".^[96]

• Animal Planet is also creating the Steve Irwin Crocodile Hunter Fund called "The Crikey Fund" to "provide a way for people from across the globe to make contributions in Irwin's honour to support wildlife protection, education and conservation".^[96]

• Animal Planet ran a The Crocodile Hunter Diaries marathon on air to pay tribute to Irwin.

• On the Happy Feet DVD, there is a deleted scene where the main character Mumble meets an albatross voiced by Irwin and a blue whale. The scene was unfinished at first but was included on the DVD release to honour Irwin's memory as Irwin had insisted on being in a film that contained a message about the environment. However, they took this scene off the movie and decided to let Irwin play an elephant seal named Trev.

കേരള സർക്കാറിന്റെ നെയ്യാർ വന്യജീവി സങ്കേതം സ്റ്റീവ് ഇർവിന്റെ പേരിലാണ് നാമകരണം ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നത്.സ്റ്റീവ് ഇർവിൻ മുതല പുനരധിവാസ ഗവേഷണ കേന്ദ്രം എന്നാണ് ഈ സങ്കേതം അറിയപ്പെടുന്നത്.

On 4 September 2007, Australian fans gathered at the Irwin family zoo on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland to commemorate the first anniversary of Irwin's death. State Premier Peter Beattie described Irwin as one of the state's greatest cultural ambassadors. On 15 November, Irwin's widow Terri and children, Bindi and Bob, remembered his life and achievements on "Steve Irwin Day."^[97]

• Wildlife Warriors
• Timothy Treadwell

• Australia Zoo's Crocodile Hunter website
• Official Animal Planet website for The Crocodile Hunter
• Steve 'The Crocodile Hunter' Irwin - slideshow by Life magazine
• Huge collection of features and photographs from Daily Telegraph concerning the Irwins
• Steve Irwin ഓപ്പൺ ഡയറക്റ്ററി പ്രൊജക്റ്റിൽ
• ഇന്റർനെറ്റ് മൂവി ഡാറ്റാബേസിൽ നിന്ന് Steve Irwin
• {{tvtome person|id=124720|name=Steve Irwin}}