Our Tribute to Steve Irwin
Steve Irwin died. He was stung by the tail of a stingray that he was following while filming a new documentary about animals living in the sea.
Steve Irwin was a friendly man, simple and passionate about wildlife. He surrounded by animals since childhood as his dad was the owner of a zoo. He discovered very young a boundless enthusiasm for the study of all species. He had a particular fascination for the most dangerous.
That enthusiasm, and passion, was developed over the years and he shared it with the entire world. In fact his reputation quickly overtook the limits of the paternal zoo in Queensland which he developed. This was helped by his television show. 'The Crocodile Hunter' which immediately became a universal success.
We remember seeing him hundreds of times on the backs of crocodiles, holding them down. He would brandish the most dangerous snakes, while holding them up in the air. He had a colourful past and a typical Australian accent. He was a mine of information on the species that he presented in his spectacular show where he was always dressed in a bush shirt with Khaki shorts and a pair of solid boots. Steve Irwin threw himself into life in an incessant hunt for reptiles and chasing his dreams.
His ideal was the defense of animals and their environment. He loved his dangerous job however he pushed his luck, taking risks each day. It wasn't unusual to see him bitten by a reptile that he had dared to handle.
Steve Irwin shared his passion with his wife Terri, then his two children Bindi and Bob. During his life his reputation became international . It was well established, particularly in the United States where all seemed to have heard about this living representation of the legendary 'Crocodile Dundee'( spectacular film which starred another Australian icon, Paul Hogan, as its hero.)
His trips and his appearances on television show his frank manner of speech and way of grasping danger by the horns which quickly made him popular with adults and children alike. For many kids he was a hero. When you wrestle with crocodiles and bear the reputation of a daredevil, it is natural that we believed you are indestructible. However, by disappearing so suddenly and brutally, Steve Irwin reminds us that life is fragile.
It was fragile for all the animals he defended so ardently and also, finally, for himself.
Even though his death is sad, we can rest assured that he would not have wished for it to be any other way.

Steve Irwin
1962-2006

Translated by: Francesca, Nicholas, Margaux, Byron, Nicolas C. Rebecca, Aaron, Paloma, Celia, Maxine and Julian.
With thanks to Mr Roberts and Jerry Langford