Background and career
Stephen Robert Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006) was an Australian conservationist, environmentalist, zookeeper, television personality, and wildlife educator. Nicknamed the "Crocodile Hunter", he is regarded as an Australian cultural icon, and as one of the greatest conservationists.
Irwin grew up around crocodiles and other reptiles and was taught about them by his father, Bob. He achieved international fame in the late 1990s through The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series that he co-hosted with his wife, Terri. The couple also hosted Croc Files, The Crocodile Hunter Diaries, and New Breed Vets. They co-owned and operated Australia Zoo, founded by Irwin's parents in Beerwah, Queensland. They had two children, Bindi and Robert.
On 4 September 2006, Irwin died from an injury caused by a stingray while filming an underwater documentary in the Great Barrier Reef. His death became international news and was met with expressions of shock and grief from fans, the media, governments, and non-profit organisations. Numerous parks, zoos, streets, the vessel MY Steve Irwin, the snail species Crikey steveirwini, and the asteroid 57567 Crikey have been named in his honour. The Irwin family continues to operate Australia Zoo.
Stephen Robert Irwin was born on 22 February 1962 to Lyn (d. 2000) and Bob Irwin (b. 1939) in Upper Ferntree Gully, a suburb of Melbourne. His parents were both of Irish descent. His great-grandfather on his father's side, Joseph Irwin, a carpenter born in Dublin, immigrated to Australia in 1876 and married Theresa Byrne, who was also from Dublin. Lyn was a maternity nurse, and Bob is a former plumber and amateur herpetologist who collected reptiles. Irwin developed an early interest in reptiles, particularly venomous snakes and lizards, and often collected them despite his father's advice. On one occasion, he reportedly brought a red-bellied black snake home on a public bus, transporting it in the driver's esky.
How Steve Irwin makes money
It was produced on a budget of about US$12 million and grossed $33 million. After questions arose in 2003 about Irwin being paid $175,000 worth of taxpayers' money to appear in a television advertisement and his possible political ties, Irwin told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that he was a conservationist and did not choose sides in politics.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (2025-08-06), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
