Sept. 4, 2023

The Death of 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin

The Death of 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin

September 4, 2006. Australian wildlife conservationist and television personality Steve Irwin is killed by a stingray off the Great Barrier Reef.


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Transcript

Cold Open


It’s late evening in summer 1971, in suburban Queensland, Australia.

Bob Irwin, a former plumber and now crocodile-catching expert is aboard a small, aluminum dinghy floating toward danger ahead.

In order to keep the ever-expanding Queensland suburbs safe, Bob has been asked by the National Parks and Wildlife Service to capture a family of freshwater crocodiles. And today he has decided, for the very first time, to bring his son, Steve Irwin along with him.

While still only 9 years old, Steve is by no means a stranger to the dangerous animals that occupy his homeland. At the age of just 7, he trapped a deadly Brown Snake beneath his foot, and now his father believes he’s ready to be thrust into the family business of crocodile hunting.

As their boat nears a pair of crocodiles, the sound of their engine alerts the reptiles to their presence.

The crocodiles begin to thrash around in the shallow water, lurching forward at the dinghy for their next potential meal.

Their vast teeth clamp down on the dinghy, sending the boat wobbling. As Bob steadies the boat, young Steve pulls out a flashlight from beneath the seat. This is the only tool they need to carry out their task.

Immediately, Steve shines the flashlight into the crocodile’s eyes. The commotion stops for a moment as the animals recoil.

Bob then takes this opportunity to capture the first crocodile. Leaping onto its giant, scaly back, he wrestles it into the boat and ties it up.

Then, he looks to Steve, and wordlessly nods at him, signaling that it's his son's turn to catch his first crocodile ever. Without a moment’s hesitation, the young 9-year-old boy leaps into the shallow water and entangles himself with another of the reptiles.

His chin slams onto the tough head of the crocodile and he locks his legs around the base of its tail.

Then, after a few moments of struggle, Steve slams the animal down onto the base of the dinghy, where his dad helps him restrain it.

With the crocodiles secured, Bob asks his son to sedate the animals. Steve refuses, arguing that sedation could hurt them and that their job is less of a capture and more of a rescue. Bob smiles in agreement, and they head back to shore, with the first stage of their crocodile relocation mission accomplished.

At just nine years old, Steve Irwin’s first crocodile capture will spark the beginnings of a lifelong love for conservation and not only rescuing but caring for animals. Following in his father’s footsteps, Steve will attract recognition for his natural aptitude for wildlife, becoming well-known within his own industry. But his fame will reach unprecedented heights after his dad gives him a camera to film his rescue attempts. This small gift will catapult Steve into international stardom as a television celebrity. But while Steve’s passions will continue to reach millions, the dangers of his work will never cease, and during one trip to the Great Barrier Reef, Steve will be tragically killed by a stingray on September 4th, 2006.

Introduction


From Noiser and Airship, I’m Lindsay Graham and this is History Daily.

History is made every day. On this podcast—every day—we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. 

Today is September 4th, 2006: The Death of ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin.

Act One: The Crocodile Hunter


It’s mid-June, 1992 in Eugene, Oregon.

Inside their temporary accommodation, Steve Irwin and his new wife, Terri, pack their bags, preparing to depart for their honeymoon.

The couple has just gotten married after a whirlwind romance that began when Terri visited North Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, owned and operated by Steve’s parents. Terri immediately caught Steve’s attention while he was giving a crocodile demonstration. The pair have been inseparable ever since, sharing a combined love for wildlife and conservation. So, after dating for eight months, they journeyed to Terri’s hometown in Oregon to tie the knot. Now, they’re ready for a vacation to celebrate spending the rest of their lives together.

But some bad news suddenly upends their plans. In the middle of packing, the phone rings. In his usual bright, warm manner, Steve answers. But as he listens to the person on the other end, his expression turns serious. Terri interrupts to ask what’s going on. And Steve explains that there’s an endangered crocodile back in Australia. Poachers are after it and their help is needed to rescue it.

Though it means abandoning their honeymoon plans, Terri and Steve immediately agree to go save the crocodile. When they make it back home to Australia, Steve informs television producer, John Stainton, that he’s heading out to rescue a crocodile, and asks whether he would like to come film the event.

Ever since his father bought him a video camera, Steve has been filming his own crocodile rescues. And when John Stainton visited the reptile park to film a commercial, Steve showed the producer his footage. John was transfixed. After watching hours of Steve’s recordings, he was confident that Steve would be perfect for television. And eager to bring Steve’s talents to the masses, John had Steve promise to alert him the next time a crocodile rescue was in the works.

So now, Steve, Terri, John, and a small film crew have assembled, ready to record their latest rescue in the swamps of North Queensland. But as their boat pulls up to the location of the endangered crocodile, they find disaster waiting for them. The crocodile is dead. Somebody found it before them and shot it, leaving Steve dismayed, putting an end to filming.

With no crocodile to save, John and his crew get ready to pack up and leave. But Steve points out that there are likely members of the deceased crocodile’s family nearby who also need saving. His suspicion proves correct. After just minutes of searching, the crew, Steve, and Terri find the related crocodiles. John and his team set up their equipment and fix their cameras on Steve as he wrestles with the reptiles and successfully brings them into the boat.

But as Steve rounds up the last remaining members of the crocodile family, disaster strikes again. Terri accidentally slips from the boat into the water. And the river is deep. There’s nowhere she can stand and regain her footing, and, unlike Steve, Terri is not well-versed in crocodile wrestling. Surrounded by the animals, all Terri can do is stay as still as possible, because any sudden movement could be fatal.

Meanwhile, Steve develops a rescue plan. He’ll rev the motor on the boat’s engine, and that should be enough to scare the crocodiles away. But as he goes to carry this out, the engine fails to start. With crocodiles circling, he tries again, but he has no luck.

Already preparing himself for a deep-water wrestle with a crocodile, Steve tries the engine one last time. And to his relief, it roars into action. As the crocodiles begin to back away, John and his crew hoist Terri up from the water and pull her safely back into the boat.

This tense rescue and many other escapades in the swamps are all captured on film, and as soon as he is on land, John sends the footage out to production companies — it’s time for the world to meet The Crocodile Hunter.

Four years after filming their honeymoon crocodile rescues, the pilot of The Crocodile Hunter, starring Steve Irwin, will be aired as a two-hour special on the Discovery Channel. As John suspected, the show will prove an enormous hit in Australia. People will fall in love with Steve’s character and charisma. And in 1997, the documentary will be renewed as a full series, going on to last over a decade as one of Australia’s highest-rated programs.

But The Crocodile Hunter will not only gain popularity in Australia, but it will also see Steve's love of wildlife beamed across the globe to an adoring fan base. Founded on the idea that exposure to nature will foster compassion for it, Steve's unconventional approach to conservation and crocodile wrestling will revolutionize the wildlife television industry, bringing scores of new viewers to the screen, and to his parents’ wildlife park, which he will renamed ‘Australia Zoo.’

Ever fearless and energetic, Steve will continue to constantly thrust himself, and his wife Terri, into life-threatening situations, keeping the world intrigued by their passion and adventures. But as his star rapidly rises, it will not be long before Steve finds himself in a dangerous situation that even he cannot save himself from.

Act Two: Ocean’s Deadliest


It’s September 4th, 2006, at the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

In the clear, blue waters, Steve Irwin snorkels around the coral’s shallow waters, a videographer following his every move.

By now, Steve is used to the camera. Over the decade since the release of The Crocodile Hunter, Steve’s popularity has only continued to grow, turning him into an international television celebrity. But today, Steve is doing something a little different. He’s getting some shots for his daughter, Bindi, for her new television show. Steve’s educational and gripping shows have managed to capture an all-age audience, and TV producers hope to build upon The Crocodile Hunter’s success by providing a specifically child-centered show fronted by Bindi on the Junior Discovery Channel.

Today’s filming is a departure from Steve’s original plans. Initially, he only came to Queensland’s coast to film for Ocean’s Deadliest, his new nature documentary examining some of the world’s most dangerous sea creatures. The project is due to be co-hosted by Philippe Cousteau Jr., the grandson of Steve’s hero, filmmaker and oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau. Thrilled to be working with Philippe, Steve has thrown himself into filming with his usual blend of excitable gusto and untamable vigor. But there’s been a lull in production due to poor weather. So, Steve has decided to use their break from filming to get some shots for Bindi’s new show, eager to support his daughter’s fledgling on-screen career.

With the sun now shining down on the Great Barrier Reef, he jumped into a boat with a camera crew headed by his friend, Justin Lyons. Aboard an inflatable dinghy, Justin directs Steve around the chest-deep waters for some time. Then, as they’re about to pack up filming, a stingray nears the boat. The pair agree to film one last shot of Steve swimming from behind the stingray, which they expect will then swim away.

But, as Steve slowly approaches, the usually placid stingray doesn’t flee. Instead, it suddenly begins jabbing wildly with its tail, attacking Steve. Not realizing the severity of the attack, Justin pans away, following the stingray as it swims off, believing no harm has been caused. But when he turns the camera back to Steve, the famed crocodile hunter is standing in a pool of blood with a razor-sharp barb sticking out of his chest.

Steve is frozen and in immense pain. Justin clambers to help him, pulling him onto the boat to assess the situation. And at first, Steve believes he's only punctured a lung, but Justin sees the barb sticking out over his heart, where blood continues to pour out.

It's soon apparent that the injury is far more severe than a punctured lung. Steve's injuries are fatal, and he already knows it. He turns to Justin, and calmly utters his final words: “I’m dying.”

As Steve begins to slip away, they race back to shore. Justin administers CPR on Steve for over an hour hoping for a miracle, but none comes. As soon as they arrive on land, paramedics pronounce Steve dead from cardiac arrest.

The entire tragic episode will be caught on film. Steve had an agreement with his camera crew that, if anything should happen to him, they were to continue filming. A second cameraman had been recording the entirety of the ordeal, capturing it all, but this footage will never be released to the public.

The death of Steve Irwin will be seen as a one-in-a-million occurrence. Steve had swam with some of the most deadly animals in the ocean throughout his career. During his filming for Ocean’s Deadliest, the stingray had not been considered dangerous enough to even be included, having rarely caused fatal injuries.

But as news of Steve’s untimely passing begins to spread shock and sadness ripple across the world. A sense of despair and disbelief will throw Steve’s vast adoring fan base into a prolonged period of mourning, with television stations and radio channels dominated by the news of his death, airing specials and tributes to the beloved ‘Crocodile Hunter'. And in the coming weeks, thousands will head to Australia Zoo to pay their respects in person to one of Australia’s most vibrant and adored stars.

Act Three: Steve’s Legacy


It’s September 20th, 2006, at Australia Zoo in Queensland where a public memorial service for Steve Irwin is underway.

Over 5,000 people are packed into the Crocoseum, the zoo’s special crocodile show arena, with a further 300 million watching at home, all awaiting the opportunity to say goodbye to the beloved crocodile hunter.

The Crocoseum is the most fitting location for a commemoration of Steve’s life. The zoo was vital in forming Steve’s early passions, and after he took over the day-to-day running from his parents, it became a beacon of animal rescue and conservation, revered globally for its important work. And within the park, there was no place Steve loved more than the Crocoseum.

Filling its stands today are Steve’s fans, family, staff, and famous supporters. Hollywood stars, conservationists, and Australian politicians have all shown up in person or virtually to pay tribute to Steve Irwin with speeches hailing his impact around the world. Only one seat in the entire arena is left empty, symbolically set aside for Steve Irwin. Next to it, perhaps the event’s most special guests: Steve’s wife, Terri, and their two children — 8-year-old Bindi and 2-year-old Robert, all dressed in their khaki zoo uniforms.

The packed arena erupts into applause as the young Bindi stands up, ready to take her own turn on stage and pay tribute to her father. Confidently, she walks up to the microphone set up in front of a photo of her father. Then, with the assuredness of someone much older, Bindi begins to deliver her own handwritten eulogy:

BINDI: My Daddy was my hero – he was always there for me when I needed him. He listened to me and taught me so many things, but most of all he was fun.

Bindi goes on to tell the audience that she will never let her father’s passions end and that she wants to continue his work.

BINDI: I know that Daddy had an important job. He was working to change the world so everyone would love wildlife like he did. He built a hospital to help animals, and he built lots of land to give animals a safe place to live, he took me and my brother and my mom with him all the time. We filmed together, caught crocodiles together, and loved going in the bush together. I don’t want Daddy’s passion to ever end. I want to help endangered wildlife just like he did.

Then, with the world watching, Bindi uses her final words to issue a call to action:

BINDI: I have the best Daddy in the whole world and I will miss him every day. When I see a crocodile I will always think of him and I know that Daddy made this zoo so everyone could come and learn to love all the animals. Daddy made this place his whole life, now it’s our turn to help Daddy.

Steve Irwin’s legacy will be carried on through his two children, Bindi and Robert. They will continue to perform the activities their father carried out at Australia Zoo and will resume his on-screen work. But Steve will also be remembered for the change that he brought to the world, for the animal hospitals he built, for the countless endangered species he helped, and for the education he brought to the world through his exciting and engaging television programs, earning him lasting reverence as a born communicator with an honest and inspiring passion - one that did not die with him on September 4th, 2006.

Outro


Next on History Daily. September 5th, 1972. Tragedy strikes the Summer Olympic Games after Palestinian terrorists take eleven members of the Israeli team hostage.

From Noiser and Airship, this is History Daily, hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham.

Sound design by Mollie Baack.

Music by Lindsay Graham.

This episode is written and researched by Luke Lonergan.

Executive Producers are Alexandra Currie-Buckner for Airship, and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.