Stephen Robert Irwin was an Australian zookeeper, conservationist, television personality, wildlife expert and environmentalist.
He was nicknamed “The Crocodile Hunter”.
Irwin grew up around crocodiles and other reptiles and was educated on them by his father Bob Irwin.
He rose to fame with the television series The Crocodile Hunter which ran from 1996 to 2007, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series that he co-hosted with his wife Terri Raines.
Steve Irwin Death: How did Steve Irwin lose his life?
On 4 September 2006, the wildlife enthusiast Steve Irwin died after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming in the Great Barrier Reef.
The stinger penetrated his thoracic wall, causing massive trauma.
He was at Batt Reef, near Port Douglas, Queensland, taking part in the production of the documentary Ocean’s Deadliest.
His family held a private funeral service in Caloundra on September 9, 2006. He was interred in a private ceremony at Australia Zoo that same day.
A public memorial service was held in Australia Zoo’s 5,500-seat Crocoseum on September 20, 2006.