By Ela Forest
Steve Irwin's Daughter Follows In Her Father's Footsteps
Though she is not yet ten years old, Bindi Irwin is already making waves as an environmental activist and champion for wildlife preservation.
Daughter of Terri Irwin and the late Steve Irwin, whose fame as the "Crocodile Hunter" brought the family into the international spotlight, Bindi has been hard at work, carrying on her father's legacy since he died in September 2006.
Steve Irwin, who was killed by a stingray while preparing to shoot footage for an ocean wildlife show in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, led the way for Bindi to become an international TV star. Bindi also has a younger brother, Bob, who was born in 2003.
A home schooled child, Bindi takes time out of her schedule of media events, shooting for television shows, her work with charity, and animal care at the Australia Zoo in Queensland, to study with tutors.
Bindi's favourite subject is creative writing, which she evidences by keeping journals and writing stories. Bindi has kept an online web log since she was very small, detailing her adventures with animals and wildlife.
Bindi's Career
Bindi's career began early; from infancy, she appeared often on her father's show, The Crocodile Hunter Diaries, and began appearing in television shows from age two. Bindi's main claim-to-fame is the documentary series called Bindi the Jungle Girl, in which she teaches children about wildlife and conservation. Bindi has also released a fitness DVD for children, in which she dances with the Crocmen.
A year after the tragic death of Steve Irwin, Bindi hosted an hour-long television special in tribute to him called, My Daddy the Crocodile Hunter. The show serves as a memorial tribute to the famous wildlife conservationist from Bindi's perspective, but mostly details her own life and career, and introduces the series Bindi the Jungle Girl. Bindi has stated that she plans to continue her fathers work in television and wildlife conservation.
Caring About The Planet
Along with her mother, Terri, Bindi is very active in promoting environmental and wildlife conservation. Most recently, the Irwins made headlines for initiating a program aimed at ending Japanese scientific whaling.
The program is an extension of an existing whale watching program, which had been initiated by Terri Irwin after the death of her husband. The new whale research program will now be conducting non-lethal research on whales in Antarctic waters.
The team will essentially use non-lethal methods to collect the same data that Japanese researchers insist can only be obtained by killing the whales, the remains of which are then sold as meat on the Japanese market.
It is hoped that the Irwin's effort will result in the end of Japanese scientific whaling; a program that exploits a loophole in an international anti-whaling law. It is believed that Japanese whaling fleets kill around 1000 whales each year, in the name of research. Bindi has spoken out publicly against this practice, and is recording a new song called Save Me, in order to spread the anti-whaling message in Asia.
Further following in her father's shoes, Bindi has been working on completing charity projects begun by Steve Irwin before his death. Bindi has taken over the Steve Irwin Wildlife Conservation organisation, which was started by Steve in 2002 as a non-profit charity to protect and implement environmental strategies aimed at protecting and preserving wildlife and wilderness around the world.
Wildlife Warriors Worldwide
Since Steve Irwin's passing, the organisation has been renamed the Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, with Bindi as the face of the project. Bindi appears in marketing and promotions for the organisation, as well as working to raise funds for the charity, and educating people about Wildlife Warriors and the work they do.
Wildlife Warriors is becoming recognised around the world for its strong objectives in protecting natural wildlife, as well as biological research and education programs to spread awareness about animal rights and welfare, as well as a strong emphasis on protecting threatened and endangered species.
A new wildlife hospital is planned to be built in Australia by Wildlife Warriors, which will treat and rehabilitate sick and injured wildlife. Wildlife Warriors also run a new program for species and habitat conservation in Asia, worldwide community education programs, an emergency wildlife rescue program and, of course, an international crocodile rescue and research program.
Wildlife Warriors is sponsored through the support of Australia Zoo, so 100% of donations the charity receives go directly to wildlife programs, and Bindi is hard at work raising funds.
In addition to her work with the Wildlife Warriors, Bindi has also launched her own line of children's clothing, called Bindi Wear. The clothing label features a line of fun and practical shirts, shorts, skirts and accessories for toddlers and children, and Bindi is donating 100% of the profits from Bindi Wear to the Australia Zoo's conservation programs.
Bindi also raised 2000 Australian dollars for children with multiple sclerosis by participating in the M.S. Readathon; a charity event that encourages children to read by getting sponsors to pledge money to the charity for books read. Bindi managed to read 23 books in one month!
A Remarkable Child
Despite concerns that Bindi was being exploited by television networks seeking to cash in on the fame of Steve Irwin, her mother has commented that for Bindi, doing conservation work and filming shows is a part of normal life, and Bindi is keen to continue her father's hard work and dedication to wildlife through her own television show. The Discovery channel, which produces Bindi's show, did delay production for one year, to give Bindi time to process the death of her father.
Bindi won international acclaim, as well as a few hearts when, at her father's public memorial service, she made an impassioned speech in front of a crowd of over five thousand people, as well as being broadcast to more than 300 million viewers worldwide.
In her speech, Bindi referred to Steve Irwin as her hero, and said, "I don't want Daddy's passion to ever end. I want to help endangered wildlife just like he did."
In an interview on one Australian human interest show, Bindi commented that she sees her work as trying to spread the message that animals are not to be feared; they are put on the Earth to help the environment, and protecting them is the most amazing thing we could ever do.