Steve Irwin, Google celebrates 'The Crocodile Hunter' 57th Birthday with a doodle

Stephen Robert Irwin was an Australian zookeeper, conservationist, and television personality. He achieved worldwide fame from the television series 'The Crocodile Hunter', which was broadcasted internationally between the year 1996-2007.  It was a wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted with his wife Terri.

Irwin was born in a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria and He was of Irish descent on his father's side. As a child, he moved with his parents to Queensland in 1970, where he attended Landsborough State School and Caloundra State High School. Irwin was given a 12-foot (4 m) scrub python on this sixth birthday by his father. He also began handling crocodiles at the age of nine as his father educated him about reptiles at an early age.

In 1991, Irwin met Terri Raines, an American naturalist from Eugene, Oregon, who was visiting wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Australia and had decided to visit the zoo and it was love at first sight.

Steve and Terri's honeymoon became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter. The Crocodile Hunter became successful in the United States, the UK and over 130 other countries, reaching 500 million people. 

In 1998, Irwin present 'The Ten Deadliest Snakes in the World' which was also directed by director Mark Strickson. Irwin also appeared in a cameo role in the Eddie Murphy film Dr. Dolittle 2.

In 2001, the Australian government awarded Irwin the Centenary Medal for a lifetime of service, and in 2004 he was nominated for Australian of the Year.

Irwin died at 44, after being pierced in the heart by a stingray barb while filming an underwater documentary film titled Ocean's Deadliest.