Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin Crocodile Hunter

 What a little beauty! Take a look at the must-see photographs of the incredible Crocodile Hunters, Steve and Terri Irwin, and some amazing wildlife.Take a look at the must-see photographs

 Stephen Robert Irwin was born to Lyn and Bob Irwin on 22 February, 1962, in upper Fern Tree Gully, Victoria. He moved with his parents and two sisters to Beerwah, Queensland, where his folks opened the Beerwah Reptile and Fauna Park in  Steve grew up loving all wildlife, especially reptiles. He caught his first venomous snake (a Common Brown) at the tender age of six and would often arrive late to school after convincing his mother to pull over so he could rescue a lizard off the road.  By the time he was nine-years-old, he was helping his dad catch small problem crocodiles hanging around boat ramps by jumping on them in the water and wrestling them back into the dinghy. He always had an uncanny sixth sense when it came to wildlife and he spent his life honing that skill.  In the 1980s Steve spent months on end living in the most remote areas of far North Queensland catching problem crocodiles before they ended up shot by a poacher’s bullet. He worked with his little dog, Sui, and developed crocodile capture and management techniques that are now utilised with crocodilians around the world.  By 1980, the family wildlife park was called the ‘Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park’ and where Steve called home. Steve and his best mate, Wes Mannion, worked countless hours caring for the wildlife and maintaining the grounds.  In 1991 Steve took over managing the wildlife park and met Terri Rains, a visiting tourist, on 6 October. Steve and Terri were married in Eugene, Oregon, on 4 June 1992 at the Methodist church Terri’s grandmother used to attend.  Instead of a honeymoon, the couple embarked on filming a wildlife documentary with John Stainton from the ‘Best Picture Show’ company. The show was so successful it turned into a series and the Crocodile Hunter was born.  After Steve’s parents retired in the 1992 Steve worked tirelessly to improve and expand his wildlife park. Re- naming it Australia Zoo in 1998, Steve’s vision for the world’s best Zoo was coming to fruition. In July 2006 Steve set out his ten year business plan for his beloved zoo. He couldn’t know he would be gone just two months later, but he believed his conservation work would go on. His two beautiful children will make sure it does.

 To date, my most successful crocodile trapping mission was in Weipa during August 2004, when we caught 33 adult Saltwater Crocodiles in 14 days. These were all documented in our current crocodile research project titled ‘Crocs in Space’. Australia Zoo is working with the Environmental Protection Agency and the University of Queensland in carrying out the most cutting-edge croc research in the world.  Another recent testimony to the highly efficient capture of designated problem crocodiles, was the capture of 'Digger' in the Gulf of Carpentaria in one hour in total daylight. The croc was trying to get in the trap whilst Stuey was still setting it.'Digger  I use three distinct trapping methods: 1. Soft mesh trap 2. Gate trap 3. Floating trap  All three methods require highly trained and skilled people to set them up, place them in the croc's territory and extract and restrain the captured crocodiles.

 1. Soft mesh traps  Up until the 1990s this is the only trapping method I used. The most important thing with soft mesh traps is the amount of knowledge you need to set the trap and the amount of knowledge you learn about the crocs in the area you're trapping, whilst your trap is set. Soft mesh trapping provides the trapper with an intimate understanding and awareness of the entire ecosystem  In the water, crocodiles are impossible to study. It’s very difficult to accurately estimate their size when all you see is a head that looks like a piece of driftwood from a distance. In the water, crocodiles are impossible to study. It’s very difficult to accurately estimate their size when all you see is a head that looks like a piece of driftwood from a distance.

 Once a croc basks on a mud bank, he leaves a track which is all the evidence that’s needed to understand the size, density, hierarchy and behavioral patterns of the crocodiles in the area. This croc will leave an excellent imprint in the mud A track left in the mud is known as a 'slide’.

 Always trigger the trap and re-set. This is critical to ensure the trap works effectively. If a crocodile escapes from an ineffective trap or triggers it from the outside, the crocodile may become TRAP WISE from a negative experience and NEVER be caught.  A lead-in bait should be placed approximately 1m (3ft) in front of the trap entrance/mouth. This is constructed of a strong nylon cord (2mm) attached to a stick or branch. A fist-sized morsel of food is secured to the cord so that the crocodile gets a taste for the bait and perhaps leaves a set of tracks at the trap site so the crocodile's size can be determined.  During the night the crocodile enters the trap, grabs the bait which dislodges the trigger, the bag is released pulling the trap mouth closed.  Once it realises it is trapped the crocodile tries to get out. The hemp strings break and the trap is loose around the croc. The sticks, which supported the trap, will be broken and knocked around without causing damage to the crocodile. No steel or damaging materials are used anywhere around the trap, sticks only.  The trap should be checked at first light. If a crocodile has been caught, a top jaw rope is secured and a blindfold is slid over the crocodile and trap. The head is then secured by tying ropes around the blindfold; this in turn secures the jaws together. Move the crocodile to an area where it is safe for it to be removed from the trap. Remove the crocodile from the trap and place it snugly into a crate ready for transport.

Now that should be all you need to know about Steve Irwin.  Thank you for watching/reading  By Ben Gibson