09/04/2026
Miss you, Steve 🐊
Hardly a day has gone by in 20 years that I haven't wished the Crocodile Hunter was still with us, doing what he loved and sharing his infectious, over-the-top passion for conservation with the world. I was eight when he passed, and I still remember the disbelief vividly. No one is replaceable, but Steve Irwin was genuinely one in a trillion, and in a way, I still am in denial that he had to go so soon.
But I don't want to dwell on his death, as that isn't what he would have wanted, and his legacy proudly carries on and has for decades. In his lifetime, he bought and converted hundreds of thousands of acres of land into wildlife reserves, all while inspiring millions of people with his tv shows, showing off his pure enthusiasm for wildlife at every opportunity.
His mission also continues through the work of the family he so adored- his son Robert, his daughter Bindi, and his wife Terri, who have all gone above and beyond in carrying the torch. They all have major leadership roles in running Australia Zoo in Queensland, as well as continuing the nonprofit charity Steve and Terri started, Wildlife Warriors ( ) ,which fights for the conservation of endangered species and crucial natural habitats. They are all TV and media personalities, using their platforms to inform and excite audiences about the natural world and put a spotlight on misunderstood species, just like Steve did. And, according to their Instagrams, at least two of them are on crocodile research expeditions right now. They are my Royal family and you cannot convince me otherwise. I truly believe Steve would be beyond proud.
Robert's memorial post today says, "Thank you, Dad, for showing me and the entire world what it is to truly live. To lead with empathy, to treat every living being how you'd wish to be treated, and to be passionate in everything you do."
Bindi's says "I always thought my dad's legacy is wildlife conservation; it turns out, his legacy is love."
I hope we can all carry a piece of that legacy with us
🐊♥️
