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Terri Raines Irwin, AM (born July 20, 1964, Eugene, Oregon, USA) is an American-born naturalist who has lived in Australia since 1992. She is also the widow of Australian naturalist Steve Irwin and owner of Australia Zoo at Beerwah, Queensland, Australia. She co-starred with her husband on The Crocodile Hunter, their unconventional nature documentary series on television, the spin-off series The Crocodile Hunter Diaries and the Croc Files that followed.

Background

Terri was born in Eugene, Oregon in the United States. Her family was in the trucking business. As a small child, she was exposed to her father constantly bringing home injured animals from the highways which his trucks traversed and this was to eventually instill in her an ongoing commitment to saving and rehabilitating wild animals.

While working in the family business in 1986, Raines started a rehabilitation facility called "Cougar Country" to re-educate and release predatory mammals such as foxes, opossums, raccoons, bears, bobcats, and cougars back into the wild. Soon she was handling 300 animals each year.

Career

Terri Raines joined an emergency veterinary hospital in 1989 as a veterinary technician to gain further valuable knowledge on the care and support to all kinds of animals. Her life was very busy, as she still kept a hand in helping her dad run the family business, rehabilitating animals through her "Cougar Country", and working spare moments at the vet hospital. In addition, she had 15 cats of her own, several birds, and a dog.

In 1991, she went on a tour of Australia, and while visiting wildlife rehabilitation facilities, she had a chance meeting with Steve Irwin, whose father had managed the Australia Zoo. A whirlwind romance followed: they were engaged after just three months, and eight months later, on June 4, 1992, they married. Their first television documentary was filmed on their honeymoon. The footage, shot by John Stainton, became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, which became successful in America.

The couple chose to settle in Australia, and Terri had to leave her Cougar Country behind in the United States. However, as a partner in their wildlife enterprises and television shows, she has been able to do far greater work on behalf of animal husbandry.

In addition to their two popular television programs, which are shown on the Animal Planet television network in the United States, in 2002, the Irwins' feature film, The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, was released.

In an interview before the birth of their second child, Terri Irwin had this to say about her marriage and working together with her husband Steve:

"We don't drink, we don't smoke, and we are actually in love and happily married. We love our little girl, we go home to each other at night, and we believe in what we are doing,"

"Say my husband had a dangerous job and I wasn't with him, I don't know how you go, 'Oh honey, how was it with the police department today? You got all your fingers and toes today?' It would scare me. I'd have to become a police officer and work with him; I couldn't do it."Steve Irwin, Terri Irwin and John Stainton Interview - The Crocodile Hunter Collision Course Movie - Rebecca Murray

In 2006, Irwin was made an honorary Member of the Order of Australia for services to wildlife conservation and the tourism industry.It's an Honour - Honours - Search Australian Honours Australia Zoo - In The News - Terri Irwin appointed Order of Australia Australia Zoo - In The News - Terri becomes a casual honorary Aussie for a day ("Honorary" membership in the Order of Australia is a version of the award given to non-citizens of Australia.It's an Honour - Honours - Awards - Honorary Awards)

Terri (and her children) were reportedly trekking in Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, when her husband Steve died on the morning of September 4, 2006 after sustaining chest and heart injuries from a short-tail stingray barb. He died shortly after the attack. He was filming an underwater documentary at the time at Batt Reef near Port Douglas in Queensland.The Age - Crocodile man, Steve Irwin, dies

After the Death of Steve Irwin

On October 31 2006 she was invited to the Royal Albert Hall to award a Special Recognition Award to Sir David Attenborough at the British National Television Awards. She cited Attenborough as a great inspiration for her late husband, saying "If there's one person who directly inspired my husband it's the person being honoured tonight." and going on to say "(Steve's) real, true love was conservation - and the influence of tonight's recipient in preserving the natural world has been immense." Sir Attenborough reciprocated by praising her husband for introducing many to the natural world, saying "He taught them how wonderful and exciting it was, he was a born communicator."

Death of her husband Steve

In her first statement since her husband's death on September 4 2006, Terri announced that the Australian memorial service on September 20 2006 at Australia Zoo in Queensland would be open to the public, and that people who wish to attend should make a donation to Irwin's Wildlife Warriors fund. The service was held at the "Crocoseum," a 5,500 seat open-air amphitheater which Steve built there at the zoo and of which he was so proud. When it was suggested that a larger facility may be more appropriate, Terri stated that she couldn't see how a memorial service would work in any other place other than the Crocoseum. She also thanked well-wishers for their "overwhelming outpouring of love", support and prayers for her family".BBC News - World - Asia-Pacific - 'Crocoseum' tribute set for Irwin. Terri herself was too upset to speak at the ceremony. She remained with her young son Bob during the proceedings, but her daughter Bindi spoke about her love for her dad, to which she received a standing ovation.

Australian TV network Channel 9 screened an interview between Terri and local presenter Ray Martin, on Wednesday 27 September, at 8:30pm on the station. During the interview she said "And I'll make Australia Zoo bigger. I'll make it bigger... because I promised."

Barbara Walters announced on The View that she would be holding an exclusive interview with Terri, which aired September 27 in the US.

References

External links

• Crocodile Hunter.com.au The Irwins' website, The Crocodile Hunter
• Animal Planet Crocodile Hunter

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