Steve Irwin was one of those rare people who was both a TV personality as well as a hero to the world of animal education and conservation. He went by the nickname "Crocodile Hunter" in his wildlife and nature documentaries where he would find all kinds of animals, put them on camera, and excitedly educate the audience about them. Part of what made Irwin so charming was his enthusiasm, bravery, and talent with handling animals. He was particularly passionate about crocodiles and showed no shortage of kindness to the animals humans most often feared.
His tragic passing in 2006 was a major loss to all. Luckily though, Irwin left behind a legacy that shows no signs of dissipation. His family carries on his work at the Australia Zoo as well as in television and outreach. Part of his legacy is also all in the messages left behind in life. Much of what he has said still sticks with fans today.
"I Believe That Education Is All About Being Excited About Something. Seeing Passion And Enthusiasm Helps Push An Educational Message."
Bored teachers make for boring lessons, and that is something Irwin seemed to understand. How can you expect others to get excited about what you have to say if you yourself are not?
Enthusiasm and passion are major ingredients to Irwin's teaching methods. When people watched his shows, they were often drawn in by his exciting personality and way of speaking with his signature word "Crikey!" His method really made his series stand out from other animal documentaries.
"Crocodiles Are Easy. They Try To Kill And Eat You. People Are Harder. Sometimes They Pretend To Be Your Friend First."
One aspect of animals that gets them a lot of love is they are not as complicated as humans. They are pretty upfront about their intentions and the closest they can get to lying to you is their methods of camouflage.
Irwin, who works with both animals and humans, probably understood this more than most. Human interaction gets even more complicated when you have celebrity status as well.
"I Have No Fear Of Losing My Life - If I Have To Save A Koala Or A Crocodile Or A Kangaroo Or A Snake, Mate, I Will Save It."
This quote perfectly captures Irwin's' compassion and bravery when it comes to animals. He never lied to the camera and said the animals he works with are not dangerous.
Oftentimes, he discussed what could make them dangerous and why they would attack. The man got bitten and scratched by various animals his entire life, but that never put a stop to his passion.
"We Don't Own The Planet Earth, We Belong To It. And We Must Share It With Our Wildlife."
Irwin's goal in teaching was to promote conservation and environmentalism. He was a big promoter of animal welfare. Coexisting with wildlife is a major theme in his teachings. To coexist, people needed to be educated and know that different animals served different and important purposes for their environment.
In other words, humans should not just drive away or kill animals. They need to make an effort to share space.
"If We Save Our Wild Places, We Will Ultimately Save Ourselves."
Irwin knew that to doom other species is to doom humans as well. After all, humans are also animals who need clean water, fresh air, and food. Without wild spaces, the working system nature already had made would come crumbling down. This is what Irwin means by "ultimately save ourselves."
This idea is definitely not unique to Irwin either, and is discussed even more today than ever before with global warming concerns currently at the forefront of many global issues and many animal species becoming more and more endangered.
"I Have A Message For My Fans. Whatever You Want To Do In This World, It Is Achievable. The Most Important Thing That I've Found That Perhaps You Could Use, Is To Be Passionate And Enthusiastic In The Direction That You Choose In Life, And You'll Be A Winner."
This kind quote is directed to those that don't necessarily know Irwin personally but loved him for his work. What makes this quote kind is that Irwin doesn't equate achievement necessarily with talent or outcome, but with the attitude in which something is approached.
What matters most of all is passion and enthusiasm. If you have that for something, then you can do it, you can achieve your dream.
"I Probably Don't Show Fear, But I Suffer From Fear Like Everyone Else."
Many viewers often commented on Irwin's bravery with his handling of dangerous animals. Some may even have said that the man never knew fear. This quote, however, shows that Irwin did have fears like any other person.
In fact, it's possible he was afraid a lot of times in his own shows and just was talented at not showing it.
"All You Have To Do In Life Is Be Passionate And Enthusiastic And You Will Have A Wonderful Life."
Once again, Irwin raises the words of passion and enthusiasm in terms of advice he gives. Outcomes and recognition are not the goals of happiness. The key to a happy life is to just get enjoyment from the action in itself.
Another part of what makes this advice so good is that passion and enthusiasm has a way of spreading from one person to another. If you are passionate and enthusiastic, you will likely start surrounding yourself with like-minded people.
"The Only Animals I'm Not Comfortable With Are Parrots, But I'm Learning As I Go. I'm Getting Better And Better At 'Em. I Really Am."
This quote is just cute. It is not advice or wisdom, but it is a piece of what made Irwin so fun. Of all animals, he was most uncomfortable around parrots.
Some people keep parrots as pets, so it's amusing to think that the great Crocodile Hunter may find them more unpredictable than the venomous and enormous reptiles he works with.
"My Number One Rule Is To Keep That Camera Rolling. Even If It's Shaky Or Slightly Out Of Focus, I Don't Give A Rip. Even If A Big Old Alligator Is Chewing Me Up I Want To Go Down And Go, 'Crikey!' Just Before I Die. That Would Be The Ultimate For Me."
Irwin always had a good sense of humor on television. Plenty of fans have seen him get a little hurt on camera, and he would just use that moment for more educational purposes. According to those that have worked with Irwin, he always told them to keep the cameras rolling.
In terms of his actual death, footage of the stingray incident was passed to his wife, Terri Irwin, and it will never see the light of day. Nor would we want it to be, as these quotes prove that there are far better ways to remember Irwin and his amazing legacy.