Good morning friends.

Today’s featured story is about Terri Irwin, yes the wife of the late great Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter.  As we all know Steve Irwin was tragically killed by in Stingray in 2006.  But today I want to take it back to their beginning.  You see, most of us learned about Steve and Terri Irwin from the popularity and success of their worldwide show “The Crocodile Hunter.  But the wheels of fate were in motion many years before all that.

Terri was born in July of 1964 and grew up in Eugene Oregon with her family who was in the trucking business. During her childhood years, Terri’s dad used to pick up injured animals on the highways and bring them home to help rehabilitate them.  Needless to say compassion for wildlife was instilled in Terri from the very beginning.

By the time she was 22 years old, Terri was running the family business, worked  part time at an emergency veterinary hospital and operated a wildlife rehabilitation organization called  “Cougar County”  The wildlife organizations was rescuing, rehabilitating  and releasing cougars, bears, bobcats and etc.  Terri Irwin was no ordinary 22 year old, she was wearing many hats, and wearing them well.

Now let’s take a look at the late Steve Irwin’s earlier years.

Stephen Robert Irwin was born on the 22nd February, 1962, in upper Fern Tree Gully, Victoria, which is about 20 miles form the main business district in Melbourne Australia.  He moved with his parents and two sisters to Beerwah, Queensland, where his folks opened the Beerwah Reptile and Fauna Park in June of 1970. Years later the Irwin’s changed the name to ” Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park” which now of course is  called The Australia Zoo. What a miraculous transition over the decades, but even with all the success the original common denominator has stood the test of time, their love and passion for wildlife.  

Steve Grew up loving all wildlife.  By the time he was six years he would be rescuing lizards off the roads.  At  just nine years old he would help his dad catch small problem crocodiles hanging around boat ramps by jumping on them in the water and wrestling them back into the dinghy.  During the 1980’s he spent most of his time rescuing crocodiles before they would be killed by poachers.

As you can see, while Terri and Steve were worlds apart, they were connected with a common bond; love for wildlife, conversation and compassion for all animals.  You can see where the expression “The apple does not fall far from the tree” comes from when you hear a story like this.   Both of their passions for all living creatures were passed down right from their parents.

Now lets bring this fairy tale into reality.  When Terri was 27 years old, she visited the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park in 1991. Terri was captivated by the enthusiastic man in the khakis talking so passionately about crocodiles, so she introduced herself and there was an immediate connection.  This chance encounter would changed their lives forever. Steve and Terri got married on June 4th, 1992, in Eugene, Oregon.

From there Terri moved back to Australia with Steven and started doing their wildlife documentaries and history was in the making.  They went on two having two beautiful children, their daughter Bindi who is now 17 years old and son Robert, now 12 years old.  The Irwin Family brought the Australia Zoo to the world stage.  Steve and Terri have filmed over 300 episodes of The Crocodile Hunter, Croc Diaries, Croc Files, New Breed Vets, Ghosts of War and Bindi: The Jungle Girl, and starring in the blockbuster movie The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course. These programs are now seen in 142 countries by 500 million viewers worldwide.

The Irwin family struck a chord with the world, we all watched their amazing adventures and their passion for wildlife resonated through all of us.  Despite all the success and glory, you could see and feel how much they loved all animals and wildlife.

As we all know Steve Irwin was tragically killed in September of 2006 by a stingray.  The Irwin’s were devastated and the world was right behind them.  Steven Irwin made the world a better place, no question about that.  He’s gone but never will be forgotten.  Terri Irwin and the kids courageously marched on carrying Steve’s legacy right into the future and the message of the Australia Zoo is bigger and better then ever.

What started out as a Reptile and Fauna Park in 1970 on just two acres of land, is now the world renowned Australia Zoo sitting on 1500 acres with a staff of more then 500 people. When you look back at Terri helping her dad tend to injured wildlife found on the roads, and Steve helping his dad rescue problem crocodiles before poachers got them, its no wonder when these two met magic happened.

In 2007 the Australia Zoo was invited by the Federal Government to manage a conservation property as a tribute to Steve Irwin and his legacy.  Terri Irwin has been leading the battle to protect the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve from mining since it was dedicated to Steve’s memory.  In 2013 The Queensland Government has announced plans to declare the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve and the Wenlock River on Cape York Peninsula as Queensland’s first ever “strategic environmental area”  There will be no mining, not any, not now, not ever.

So Terri Irwin, the kid from Eugene Oregon now owns and operates the Australia Zoo, heads up the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve encompassing over 330,000 acres of land and 30 ecosystems, a world renowned expert in wildlife and conservation and a great mother of two special kids.

As The Good News Channel was doing our research on Terri Irwin, the more we realized she could be the real “Superwoman” of the 21st Century.  But no matter how you describe all of her achievements that have literally made the world a better place, one name is set in stone for Terri Irwin, she is The Ultimate Wildlife Warrior.

The Good News Channel will close with this.  The story of Steve and Terri Irwin is one of the greatest fairy tale stories ever that actually happened.  And Despite Steve’s passing in 2006, the Irwin family continues to set the standard for wildlife conversation, animal welfare, rescue, kindness and animal awareness around the world.   We want to thank the Australia Zoo for allowing us to feature them on “The Good News Chanel”

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