Everything We Know About Steve Irwin's Tragic End

Many people around the world love animals. However, there might not be so many animal lovers today if it weren't for Steve Irwin. The Australian TV personality and "Crocodile Hunter" inspired an entire generation to see animals in a different way. It's a shame he isn't around to do that for the kids of today.

Irwin tragically passed away in 2006 following an encounter with a stingray. His loss devastated millions and is still felt now. Exactly how much do we know about what happened on that fateful day, though, or even about the life of the man himself?

Steve Irwin's passing was filmed because he was making a documentary series

There have been plenty of tragic celebrity passings over the years. However, more often than not, they've been the result of illness. It's rare that it happens because of an animal attack. For someone in Steve Irwin's line of work, though, there was always going to be this risk - he effectively put himself in danger every day.

Something else that set Irwin's passing apart from most others is that someone reportedly caught his final moments on camera. The TV star was filming a new documentary series when he got on the wrong side of a stingray and passed away. Steve allegedly asked the camera operator to capture everything as his life was slipping away.

The stingray should have swum away from Steve but instead it attacked

When news spread about Steve Irwin's passing, millions around the world went into mourning. People wanted to understand what had happened to such a beloved public figure. However, not a lot of information about what went down emerged until Justin Lyons - the camera operator - spoke about that tragic day some years later. It seems he had plenty to say.

According to Lyons, they encountered a stingray and wanted to capture footage of it swimming away from Irwin. Rather than flee from the TV star, though, the animal instead apparently went into attack mode. Justin reportedly didn't notice anything wrong at first, but then he noticed blood in the water and a hole in Steve's chest.

It's rare for someone to lose their life via stingray

Steve Irwin always knew that something like this could happen because he made a habit of interacting with dangerous animals. However, while a stingray may be capable of taking a person's life, that doesn't mean it's a vicious creature. It's reportedly rare that this animal will lash out like it did, as it usually just swims away.

That's why Steve probably felt perfectly safe approaching it in the water that day. Apparently, these animals have been responsible for somewhere between just 17 and 30 fatalities in the past. Sure, there are thousands of injuries related to these creatures every year, but it's highly unusual for someone to lose their life because of them.

The stingray may have thought that Steve Irwin was a tiger shark

If it's so rare for a person to lose their life from a stingray attack, why did Steve Irwin fall foul of this creature? Was he just incredibly unlucky? Quite possibly. The likelihood is that the stingray didn't realize he was a human but instead thought he was a tiger shark. These creatures are reportedly common predators of stingrays.

Lyons put forward the idea that the animal "probably thought Steve's shadow was a tiger shark," so it lashed out instead of fleeing. After all, it's evolved to defend itself against predators, so it was simply doing what it felt it needed to do in order to survive. It was all just a freak accident.

The footage helped the authorities to understand what had happened

We can't imagine that it was easy for Justin to stand there and film Steve Irwin's final moments. However, the TV host wanted everything caught on camera, and who was Lyons to deny a man who was losing his life? What purpose did this serve, though? Was Steve expecting this footage to be aired on TV?

While it's unclear why he thought his final moments should be filmed, it did prove to help the authorities understand what had happened. Lyons turned the footage over to the police shortly after Irwin's passing, and they were quickly able to surmise that this was all a tragic accident. They proceeded to give the video to Irwin's heartbroken family.

TMZ claims that Steve might have taken certain substances before his passing

Given how sudden and devastating Steve Irwin's passing was, people have thrown around all sorts of rumors about his tragic loss to try and understand it. That includes TMZ's claims in 2016 that the TV star might have taken certain substances before he got in the water with the stingray. That's according to an apparent source of theirs anyway.

They claimed that "Steve always mixed pleasure with his business," and so taking such substances wasn't out of the ordinary for him. As he was allegedly expecting the trip to be a "laidback outing," he supposedly thought it was safe to take this stuff without being in any danger. However, that all changed when the stingray came along.

PETA accused Steve Irwin of harassing the stingray that ended his life

Some people think that the reality of Steve Irwin's passing is being covered up. That's why the autopsy results weren't released and why his family allegedly destroyed the video footage of his final moments. However, others simply believe that Irwin got what was coming to him by interacting with dangerous animals. PETA appears to be in the latter category.

In 2019, the organization claimed that Steve was "harassing" the animal, hence why it lashed out and took his life. PETA had long been judgemental of the TV star's handling of animals and believed he cared more about his ego than the messages he was spreading. However, not many people were on the organization's side in this case.

It's believed that Steve Irwin's actions were ultimately for the greater good

As far as PETA is concerned, wild animals should be "left alone in their natural habitats" and not be bothered by humans looking to make compelling TV. However, while Steve Irwin's tactics could sometimes be questionable, his fans believe that he was ultimately acting for the greater good. After all, he was inspiring millions of viewers.

Anneka Svenska, a wildlife conservationist, believes that he influenced "the next generation of conservationists" by introducing them to these animals in a way that made them more approachable. Though she admitted some of his actions don't stand the test of time, the fact that he inspired "loads of children to go on and work with animals" shouldn't be overlooked.

David Attenborough reportedly thought quite highly of Steve Irwin

Given that he was such a famous figure, most people are bound to have an opinion of Steve Irwin. That includes plenty of celebrities and established figures in the world of conservation, including Sir David Attenborough. According to him, Steve was a "born communicator" who taught people "how wonderful and exciting" all these animals could be.

To hear such comments from a man like Attenborough probably would have touched Irwin greatly, given that David was apparently "an inspiration" to him. That's what Terri Irwin said when presenting a lifetime achievement award to the man at the National Television Awards. It's supposedly thanks to Attenborough that Irwin ended up becoming the conservationist icon that he was.

Dr. John Stanisic named a new species of snail after Steve Irwin

Since the loss of Steve Irwin, people have honored the man's life in all manner of ways. That includes naming animals after him, which Dr. John Stanisic of the Queensland Museum reportedly did in 2009. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, he found a new species of tree snail, which is reportedly now known as crikey steveirwini.

The name is a reference to both the man himself and his popular catchphrase. Apparently, the snail lives in a mountainous area covered by the rainforests of Queensland and isn't known to exist anywhere else. Stanisic's reasoning for naming it after Irwin was supposedly that the color of its shell reminded them of Steve's trademark khakis.

Steve Irwin reportedly wanted to create a time capsule for endangered animals

One of the saddest things about Steve Irwin's passing is the realization that there's so much the man never got to do. He was only 44 when he lost his life, meaning he had so many more years of TV and education left in him. Who knows how many more people he might have inspired if not for that stingray.

One thing he reportedly wanted to do was to create an animal time capsule of sorts. With this, he wished to store endangered creatures in zoos until there were measures in place to keep them safe in the world. The animals would have stayed in local zoos so they were closer to their natural environments.

Steve Irwin attracted controversy following his trip to Antarctica

Given the devastation that people felt when Steve Irwin passed away, it's easy to think that everyone loved the man. However, there were some who didn't care greatly for him. If it wasn't because of his allegedly questionable treatment of animals, it was because he was supposedly too much of a stereotype. Some Australians took offense to that.

Still, most people seemed to think highly of the man, even if he courted controversy at times. For instance, when he filmed a TV special in Antarctica, the publicity information claimed he "slides down hillsides with penguins" and "almost rubs noses" with leopard seals. Given that Australian law prohibits humans from approaching these animals, Irwin came under fire.

Irwin was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing in Antarctica

Being caught interacting too closely with Antarctica wildlife can apparently get a person two years in jail and a $1 million fine. So, being accused of breaking the law was not a good image for Steve Irwin. Luckily, after an investigation was conducted into the footage, the TV star was seemingly cleared of any wrongdoing in this instance.

Although publicity information for the special seemed to suggest that Steve was getting up close and personal with these animals, that wasn't actually the case. He'd previously stated that the whole ordeal was a "big storm in a teacup" and claimed to have "the biggest enemies in the world." Thankfully, this was one controversy that ended in Irwin's favor.

He was once bitten by a lizard after not following safety advice

There are many ways you can describe the kind of man that Steve Irwin was. Compassionate. Funny. Brave. However, not all descriptors are necessarily positive. One way that  Rex Neindorf, the owner of Alice Springs Reptile Centre, would potentially describe the former TV star is reckless. It seems he was sometimes too overconfident in his comfort around animals.

There was reportedly an incident in 2003 where Irwin was bit by a lizard that left "blood everywhere." Apparently, Neindorf had told Steve not to handle the creature and to instead "use a broom." However, the conservationist reportedly "completely ignored" Rex and ended up with "ten incisor marks on his arm." He seemingly brought that on himself.

Steve caused uproar when he fed a crocodile while holding his son

Perhaps the most controversial moment in Steve Irwin's career came at the start of 2004 when footage of him made the rounds and left millions stunned. The clip showed the TV star feeding a crocodile, something that was not unusual for him but still carried its share of dangers. This wasn't the part that people were unhappy about, though.

Instead, there was an uproar over the fact that Irwin was holding his one-month-old son Robert in his other arm at the same time. While no harm came to the baby, people felt that Steve was playing with fire by having the child there with him. It prompted many people to start questioning his parenting techniques.

He denied claims that he'd done anything wrong in that moment

In the eyes of some people and child welfare groups, what Steve did on that day was child abuse. However, Irwin disagreed. Although he apologized for his actions after the fact, he said that he was in complete control of the situation the whole time. He never had any concerns about the safety of his son.

Steve also revealed that the position of the camera meant that what people saw was misleading. Footage from a camera that was shot from a different angle showed that he was actually further away from the crocodile than people thought. Terri added to this that Robert was apparently in no more danger than if they were teaching him to swim.

The controversy led Steve to miss out on Australian of the Year

Even though Steve Irwin felt he'd done nothing wrong, it still took some time for the controversy to blow over. One of the biggest setbacks of all the drama was actually that the conservationist missed out on an award because of it. He was reportedly set to receive the Australian of the Year title before the committee changed their minds.

Steve Waugh ended up winning the award instead, with Irwin told that he could be nominated again in a few years once the heat had simmered down. Unfortunately, a few years later was when he passed away, so he never got to win the accolade. According to Lisa Curry, though, he'll always be “a worthy recipient of that award.”

Steve Irwin was familiar with dangerous animals from a young age

Not many people would be willing to work quite so closely with dangerous animals as Steve Irwin was. However, it appears the man was around these creatures his entire life, so the risk they posed might not have seemed so significant. He was allegedly only four years old when he captured a brown snake for the first time.

Irwin admitted as much to Reptiles Magazine, stating that he caught the creature by putting his foot on it. His dad wasn't that impressed, though, given it's apparently the "second most venomous snake in the world." Two years after that, Steve reportedly received a pet in the form of a 12-foot scrub python because what child doesn't want that?

He got on the back of a crocodile at nine years old

Steve Irwin interacted with all manner of animals throughout his life. However, there's a reason the man was also known as the "Crocodile Hunter." His handling of crocodiles is one of the things that fans still remember about him all these years later. As it turns out, this is another animal he became familiar with from a young age.

The conservationist was reportedly just nine years old when he got on the back of a crocodile for the first time. He wasn't alone when he did this, as his father was reportedly watching him at the time. Some might question why anyone would let their nine-year-old get on the back of a crocodile, but that's neither here nor there.

Steve worked at his parent's animal park, which he later took over

Considering all these interactions that Steve Irwin was having with animals from a young age, it's perhaps no surprise that he went into the career that he did. Of course, he was also influenced by the fact that his parents were both interested in animals themselves, with the pair setting up the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park.

It was here that Steve reportedly became familiar with animals like crocodiles, with the youngster reportedly helping to do feedings and maintain the place. By the 1990s, he was seemingly ready to take the reins of the park, which he renamed to Australia Zoo in 1998. It was here that many people went to mourn after Irwin's sudden passing.

Irwin reportedly discovered a new species of snapping turtle with his father

We know that Dr. John Stanisic named a snail in memory of Steve Irwin. However, this isn't actually the first time that a creature has been named after the conservationist. Back in 1990, Steve and his father reportedly discovered a species of snapping turtle that no one had ever encountered before. So, they had the honor of naming it.

The creature is now known as Elseya irvine, or Irwin's turtle, and lives in Urannah. Apparently, it's quite an unusual creature in that it uses a cloacal respirator to breathe. That effectively means that it breathes through its behind, which is certainly not something that you come across that often. We're sure Steve saw the humorous side in it, though.

Steve Irwin once saved his friend from a vicious crocodile attack

Even if Steve Irwin could be reckless at times, there's maybe no denying that the man was incredibly brave. He wasn't afraid to take on some of the world's most intimidating animals, especially in times of crisis. For instance, when his friend, Wes, was being attacked by a crocodile, Steve didn't hesitate to leap to the rescue.

Apparently, the crocodile - who was named Graham - "snuck up" on Irwin's friend and bit him on the behind. He allegedly "tore two pieces of meat" out of the man before Steve got on the back of the crocodile and grabbed the creature's back leg. This convinced the crocodile to let Wes go, with Irwin's injured friend then rushed to hospital.

He also reportedly rescued a diver who was stranded in the ocean

It seems that such heroics weren't a one-off for the TV star. There was reportedly another incident in 2003 where Steve Irwin helped to rescue a diver that was swept away off the coast of Mexico. Scott Jones - the man in question - spoke about the incident to the Sydney Morning Herald in the wake of the conservationist's passing.

Apparently, Irwin was filming a documentary at the time but paused production when he heard a distress call for several missing divers. He found one of them by some rocks, who Steve managed to pull to safety. The other diver - Katie Vrooman - wasn't so lucky and was reportedly found in the water nearby after it was too late.

He helped with tagging crocodiles for the University of Queensland

Some of the people who criticized Steve Irwin claimed that his work was all a way to fuel his ego and that everything he did was for the cameras. However, looking at what he did in his private life, it's clear that he had a real passion for animals. That's why he reportedly partnered up with the University of Queensland.

Together, he helped the college to tag crocodiles so that they could get a better understanding of these animal's movements. The purpose of this was to find out things like how deep they can dive, how far their territories reach, and even the social hierarchies they live in. All that knowledge really comes in helpful with conservation.

Steve Irwin launched the Crocs in Space program

This wasn't the only work that Steve Irwin reportedly did with the University of Queensland. In 2004, he also launched Crocs in Space, a program that used satellites to monitor saltwater crocodiles and improve education about these animals. We now know that they can hold their breath for roughly seven hours and will sometimes travel hundreds of miles.

If it weren't for Steve's funding and assistance with the program, the understanding of animals like these crocodiles might not be as developed as it is today. Sure, scientists probably would have made these discoveries eventually without him. However, he helped to speed things up and inspire more people to want to discover such insightful information.

He was reportedly afraid of parrots after being bitten many times

Surely a man like Steve Irwin wasn't afraid of anything, right? With the amount of times that he seemingly put his life on the line, it's hard to think of him being terrified by something. It's certainly difficult to imagine him being afraid of any animals. However, it appears there was one creature he wasn't a particular fan of.

It seems he was somewhat scared of parrots, which might seem surprising for a man who handled crocodiles and snakes. However, Steve told Scientific American that he'd had "some really bad parrot bites" in the past and that he'd been bitten by many of these birds that he'd handled. We can see why he might have been wary of them.

Steve Irwin sometimes wore a disguise in public to avoid being spotted

By the time Steve Irwin passed away, he was one of the most famous people to hail from Australia. As his shows were hugely popular in both his home country and around the world, his was a face that many people easily recognized. Naturally, that wasn't always ideal when Steve wanted to go somewhere without being spotted.

As a result, he reportedly used to wear a disguise, with Robert Irwin telling the Daily Telegraph that he referred to his alter ego as Glenn Glamour. Apparently, the conservationist would wear false teeth, a trench coat, a wig, and "really sketchy sneakers." Evidently, it worked, as people apparently kept their distance from him in this disguise.

Steve Irwin wasn't a vegetarian and had his reasons why

Given that Steve Irwin seemed to love animals more than most things in the world, you might assume that the man was a devoted vegetarian. However, that wasn't the case. It seems that he spent his whole life being a meat eater and didn't feel guilty about it. Steve explained his reasoning for this to Scientific American.

Irwin revealed to the publication that he'd researched vegetarianism but claimed that if people were to stop eating meat, it would actually put animals at risk. He said that the amount of land that would be needed to grow vegetarian-friendly food would prevent these creatures from having anywhere to live. That would impact the sustainability of their species.

Steve Irwin reportedly had some damning views on sustainable use conservation

Looking at what Steve Irwin did with his life, you may think that he was a huge supporter of all forms of conservation. However, something that he reportedly didn't care for was the idea of sustainable use conservation. This is reportedly where there's a balance between using animal species and ensuring their survival, such as with the ivory trade.

In this instance, there's a theory that people would put more effort into protecting elephants if there were a means to harvest ivory sustainably. According to Irwin, this sort of conservation doesn't work, with the TV star referring to this example as "the greatest propaganda in wildlife conservation." He didn't believe there was genuine concern for animals behind it.

Irwin wanted to be remembered for being a good father

Steve Irwin was more than just a devoted conservationist and beloved TV star. He was also a father to two children - Bindi and Robert - both of whom were still very young when he passed away. Despite what some people might have thought after that controversial footage went around, Irwin was very passionate about being a father.

In fact, Steve reportedly said quite frequently that he had hoped he would be remembered for being a good dad after he was gone. At the very least, that's something that Bindi and Robert still seem to remember him for, even if they didn't get to spend as much time with him as they'd have liked to.

Steve and Terri met following a crocodile feeding at Australia Zoo

Along with two children, Steve Irwin left behind a wife when he passed away in 2006. He and Terri Irwin had been married since 1992, and if Steve were around today, we're sure the couple would still be together. They seemed to have an incredibly tight connection, and it all started when Terri visited Australia Zoo in 1991.

After watching the TV star feed a crocodile, she was reportedly struck by his enthusiasm around the animals, as well as his nerve. When he was finished with his performance, Terri allegedly stuck around to speak with Steve, and it was a good thing that she did. It was apparently love at first sight for the conservationist.

The couple never seemed to wear wedding rings because of the risk

It's maybe no surprise that Steve said he fell for Terri immediately, given that they married a year after meeting. Even though the pair were husband and wife for more than a decade before Irwin passed, they didn't always seem like your average married couple. For one, the two of them never seemed to wear wedding rings.

This wasn't a sign of any relationship troubles, though, but rather a way of avoiding unnecessary risks. Given their work involved handling so many animals, they considered it too dangerous to wear a piece of jewelry that could potentially fall off. The last thing they wanted was for a creature to swallow it and potentially choke.

Irwin was incredibly active and reportedly involved in many different sports

To be able to handle crocodiles and other dangerous animals the way that Steve Irwin did, he needed to be physically fit. After all, agility, strength, and endurance can make all the difference with such creatures. So, is it any surprise that Steve Irwin was a prominent athlete during his lifetime? It seems there wasn't a sport he didn't play.

Mixed martial arts was reportedly a great passion of Steve's, with the TV star training in Gaidojutsu. He was also a great fan of cricket, along with soccer, surfing, and rugby. He apparently once tried to tackle Shane Webcke at a training session for the Brisbane Broncos, with Irwin being thrown to the ground and taking it pretty well.

He posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Given Steve Irwin's immense popularity around the world, he inspired a lot of people to want to visit Australia. Irwin himself reportedly put plenty of effort into promoting the country - and Queensland, in particular - as an ideal tourist destination. After he passed away, fans flocked there to pay their respects at his place of work.

People still do this now, although that's not the only place they can go to honor his memory. In 2017, he posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, giving him a place among many greats in the celebrity world. The star was unveiled in April 2018, with plenty of people visiting it in the years since.

People petitioned to put Steve Irwin on a $5 bill in Australia

It might have been the best part of two decades since we lost Steve Irwin, but people definitely haven't forgotten about him or the work he did. In fact, it was only in 2022 that people were petitioning to put the man's face on a $5 bill. This emerged following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September that year.

Two Australians created separate petitions for the country's lowest-value bill to have Irwin's face in place of King Charles III's. As the Queen's presence on the note was "about her personally rather than about her status as the monarch," replacing her with the King wasn't a guarantee. Unfortunately, the petitions didn't pull in too many signatures.

A rift has developed between Steve's family since he passed away

Everyone who cared for Steve Irwin has had to come to terms with losing him over the years. Unfortunately, it seems that not everyone has fared too well, especially when it comes to his family. The Irwins seem to have fallen apart without Irwin around, with the TV star's wife and kids becoming estranged from everyone else.

There seems to have been a particular rift between the trio and Steve's father, Bob, who reportedly fell out with Terri when they disagreed on how to best run Australia Zoo. He allegedly bailed on the park two years after Irwin's passing, with the man supposedly being estranged from his daughter-in-law and grandchildren ever since.

Bindi and Bob have spoken publicly about their fractured relationship

Steve's father is a man who largely seems to enjoy his privacy. However, there have been times when he's spoken about the unfortunate fractures in his family since he lost his son. In 2015, he told the Herald Sun that he wasn't in contact with his granddaughter, sharing that it's "sad, but it's just the way things are."

That same year, Bindi told Daily Mail Australia that her grandfather "chose to distance himself from everything that dad loved the most" after they lost Steve. Supposedly, Bob wrote a letter of congratulations to his granddaughter in 2019 after she got engaged, but he reportedly wasn't invited to the wedding. Things don't seem to have improved in the time since.

Bob seemed to call out his granddaughter for a partnership with SeaWorld

While things might not be great between all the Irwins, at least his loved ones are continuing to build on the legacy that Steve has created. Both of the man's kids have spent their lives so far working with animals, just like their dad. Unfortunately, they've also courted a bit of controversy from time to time as well.

Bindi got into some hot water when she revealed a partnership with SeaWorld, an organization that has been highly criticized for its treatment of animals. When news of Steve's daughter's involvement emerged, Bob appeared to speak out against it by criticizing SeaWorld. However, he did say he hoped the partnership would have a positive outcome for animals in captivity.

Robert Irwin's close call with a crocodile earned a ton of criticism

While Bindi might have been catching heat for this association with SeaWorld almost a decade ago, Robert has come under fire much more recently. In 2022, a video of Steve's son was shown on the morning show 'Today,' and not everyone was a fan. In the clip, Robert almost became crocodile food, barely making it away from the creature alive.

This prompted a lot of people to criticize the sort of shows that the Irwins put on at the Australia Zoo, referring to it as "Animal abuse for entertainment." They said that Robert and his family should "Leave the animals alone" and stop "taunting and bothering animals for amusement." Someone else stated the family “makes money from animal cruelty.”

Public reception to the Irwins' work seems to be shifting

For those who always supported Steve Irwin, there's still a lot of love for his family and the way they're continuing his legacy. However, it's clear that there's something of a shift in what the Irwins are doing as a career. More and more people seem to be viewing their actions as abusive rather than something worth watching.

If Steve were still around and doing what he did 20 years ago, there's a chance that fans would be turning against him, too. Then again, with how beloved he was during his lifetime, it's possible that people might be more willing to cut him some slack. Regardless, it feels like the Irwins are walking on thin ice right now.