‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin killed by stingray

“The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet,” Stainton said. “He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, ‘Crocs Rule!”’

Irwin’s image was dented a bit in 2004 when he held his month-old son in one arm while feeding large crocodiles inside a zoo pen, touching off a public outcry. He argued there was no danger to his son, and authorities declined to charge him with violating safety regulations.

Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. An Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken against him.

Finding his element
Irwin was born Feb. 22, 1962, in the southern city of Melbourne to a plumber father and a nurse mother, who decided a few years later to chase a shared dream of becoming involved in animal preservation.

They moved to the Sunshine Coast in tropical Queensland state and opened a reptile and wildlife preserve at Beerwah in 1970. Irwin said in a recent interview that he was in his element.

He was given a snake for his sixth birthday and regularly went on capturing excursions with his father in the bushland around the park. He was catching crocodiles by age 9, and in his 20s worked for the Queensland state government as a trapper who removed crocodiles from populated areas.

Irwin’s father, Bob, said his son had an innate affinity with animals from an early age, a sense Irwin later described as “a gift.” He said he learned about wildlife working with his parents rather than in school.

In 1991, Irwin took over the park, Australia Zoo, when his parents retired and began building a reputation as a showman during daily crocodile feeding shows.

He met and married Terri Raines, of Eugene, Ore., who came to the park as a tourist, that year. They invited a television crew to join them on their camping honeymoon on Australia’s far northern tip.

International fame
The resulting show became the first “Crocodile Hunter,” was picked up by the Discovery Channel the following year, and the resulting series became an international hit.

Irwin was more famous in the United States than at home, where he typified a knockabout, rascally character that Australians call a “larrikin” and who many people worried painted a stereotypical picture of Australians as brash and uncouth.

Irwin loved Australia and its people, though, describing it as the greatest land on Earth.

By 2002 he had starred in a movie, Australia Zoo had became a major attraction and the Australian government enlisted him as the star of international tourist campaigns.

When President Bush visited Australia in 2003, Irwin was among the guests hand-picked by Howard to attend a ceremonial barbecue — and he turned up in his khakis.

At Australia Zoo in Beerwah, flowers and cards were dropped at the entrance Monday as news of Irwin’s death spread. “Steve, from all God’s creatures, thank you. Rest in peace,” said a card with a bouquet of native flowers.

Irwin is survived by his wife Terri, daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December.

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