Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin (22 February 1962 - 4 September 2006) - ZOOKEEPER, WILDLIFE EXPERT, TV PERSONALITY

Steve Irwin was nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian wildlife expert, television personality, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted with his wife Terri.

Together, the couple also owned and operated Australia Zoo, founded by Irwin's parents in Beerwah, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of the Queensland state capital city of Brisbane.

Irwin died on 4 September 2006 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming an underwater documentary film titled Ocean's Deadliest. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship MY Steve Irwin was named in his honour.
(Source: Wikipedia)

DID YOU KNOW? The MY Steve Irwin is the 59-meter (194 ft) flagship of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and used in their direct action campaigns against whaling and other activities the group opposes. The vessel was built in 1975 and formerly served as a Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency conservation enforcement patrol boat, the FPV Westra, for 28 years. Sea Shepherd had originally christened the vessel the MV Robert Hunter after Canadian Robert Hunter,co-founder of Greenpeace, but it was renamed in honor of The Crocodile Hunter star Steve Irwin on December 5, 2007. Irwin had considered joining the vessel on a voyage to Antarctica shortly before his death, and the renaming was endorsed by his widow Terri. (Source: Wikipedia) (Image Source: Queen of Toys)

Experiences:

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 1970.

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.

In 1991 Steve took over managing the wildlife park and met Terri Rains.

In 1992, 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.

In 1998, the wildlife park was renamed "Australia Zoo".
(Source: Crocodile Hunter)

Opportunities:

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-foot (4 m) scrub python. He began handling crocodiles at the age of nine after his father had educated him on reptiles from an early age.Also at age nine he wrestled his first crocodile, again under his father's supervision.He worked as a volunteer for Queensland's East Coast Crocodile Management program and captured over 100 crocodiles, some of which were relocated, while others were housed at the family park.
(Source: Wikipedia)

Education:

Steve was educated at Landsborough State School and Caloundra State High School, Queensland, Australia.

Training: - On the Job

Links:  

Australia Zoo	Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors
TEN TV - Wildlife Warriors	Steve Irwin Day - 15 November

Did You Know? The Crocodile Hunter documentaries were seen by 500 million people in 136 countries! (Source: The Crocodile Hunter) On 1 January 2007, Glass House Mountains Road, the road that runs by the Australia Zoo, was officially renamed Steve Irwin Way. The Australian government announced in July 2007 that a 135,000-hectare (334,000-acre) national park was being created in northern Queensland and would be named the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve. An asteroid discovered in 2001 has been named 57567 Crikey in honour of Irwin and his "signature phrase". (Source: Wikipedia)

A Conservation Issue Movie

Primary Middle Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: ICT Capability

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical & Creative Thinking

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Intercultural Understanding

1. Steve and his family have been making movies about issues around conservation for many years.

What conservation issue interests you from the list below in The Conversation? Why?

Some issues that have been in the news lately are: The Great Barrier Reef; Overfishing our oceans; Climate Change; Clean Energy; Coal-Seam Gas.

Look up and research one issue using The Conversation [Environment]  to help you.

WikiHow - How to make a movie

Movie Maker

Should there be Zoos?

 Middle Secondary

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Critical and creative thinking

Australian Curriculum General Capability: Ethical Understanding

Philosophy

Cooperative Learning Activity

1. Form groups of 3 - 4 students. Zoos have changed their focus over the last 30 years. Look at the following videos (the presenters do talk very fast so you will need to concentrate!).

Draw up a piece of paper with a Pros column and a Cons column. Each of you take notes to compare and add to each other's after watching the videos.

YouTube: The Pros & Cons Of Zoos
https://youtu.be/RHBuAOp5upU

 

The Conversation 10 June 2022	The Conversation 13 April 2022
The Conversation 21 March 2022
The Conversation 24 August 2018	The Conversation 15 June 2017
The Conversation 8 June 2016	The Conversation 1 June 2016
The Conversation - 13 May 2014	The Conversation 25 April 2012

3.

As a group, discuss what you have learnt and answer the question

"Should there be Zoos?"

Remember you need to provide evidence from your notes during this discussion. Your responses should be "I think... because....."

Material sourced from 
Wikipedia;
The Crocodile Hunter;
Australia Zoo