He was friends with crocodiles
His fascination with dangerous predators began back in childhood. Irwin's parents – well-known naturalists – ran a farm in Queensland, where they bred crocodiles. The fearsome reptiles, three meters long and with jaws studded with sharp teeth, took the boy for one of their own. He fed the crocodiles and kept the pool tidy. And along the way Steve Irwin studied the habits and manners of these predators with their evil reputation as man-eaters.
He felt no fear of crocodiles and even in his youth performed risky stunts with them. It cost him nothing to ride atop the powerful, ridged body of a reptile. Or to find himself in the midst of crocodiles resting after a hearty meal.
To many it seemed strange that a young scientist treated his huge, toothy pets with love and tenderness. He becomes a passionate hunter of crocodiles, and his goal is not to destroy these animals. On the contrary, Steve Irwin is burning with the desire to protect the reptiles from poachers and preserve the population of these ancient animals.
He took desperate risks
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It is worth mentioning that catching crocodiles is an incredibly difficult undertaking, requiring considerable physical strength and certain skills. And it is well known what danger they pose to humans. Say, a crocodile can easily break a buffalo's legs with a blow of its tail and drag the carcass, weighing about a ton, into its underwater lair.
The scars on the famous naturalist's body bore witness to the fact that it was not always possible to avoid the terrible teeth of a captured reptile. And once, during a flood, he had to rescue a friend who had been attacked by a crocodile.
He actively participates in an international program for the humane treatment of reptiles. And worldwide fame would soon be brought to Steve Irwin by his series «The Crocodile Hunter», which premiered in 1997.
On his famous yacht, the Australian naturalist travels along the rivers of South and Central Africa and sails the oceans. And once again Irwin's fearlessness astonishes everyone, and at times shocks them. His passion for being at close range with any predator, and even touching and stroking the animals, often frightens the faint-hearted viewer. He boldly takes the most venomous snakes on the planet in his hands and even tries to look them in the eye.
But Steve never managed to cope with an angry parrot. For some inexplicable reason, these birds made no secret of their dislike for him. And one of the parrots nearly pecked out Irwin's nose.
Death
On September 4, 2006, in the north of the Australian state of Queensland, in the local ocean waters, Steve Irwin is conducting yet another filming session. First and foremost, he is interested in the stingray. Perhaps this sea dweller, which prefers a hidden way of life, became frightened. The ray lunged at Irwin and struck him in the chest with its tail. The bony barb, 20 cm long, hit him right in the heart. Steve managed to pull it out of his body – and at that very moment he died.
Specialists unanimously asserted that from the very start of the stingray's attack, Irwin was doomed to die. The barb, soaked in venomous slime, is a double-edged knife with serrations that tear all the tissues. Especially when you pull it out.
After the famous naturalist's death, dozens of mutilated stingrays were found on the coast of Queensland. This was the foolish and cruel revenge of Steve Irwin's fans.
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