Steve Irwin: The Devastating Death of ‘The Crocodile Hunter’

After chasing deadly animals around the globe, it was a freak accident with the normally calm stingray that ultimately took the life of the Australian animal advocate in 2006.

When Steve Irwin was 6 years old, he caught a common brown venomous snake. While most kids (and adults!) would shudder at the very thought of a deadly creature, it lit a spark for the young Australian. Three years later, his passion for interacting with wildlife was in full force, as he helped reign in problem crocodiles by wrestling them into a boat.

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Remembering ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin 15 years after death

Saturday marks 15 years since the beloved Steve Irwin, also known as "The Crocodile Hunter," died after being pierced by a stingray while filming a documentary in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

The 44-year-old was an avid and outspoken conservationist, whose wild adventures and utterances of his down-under catchphrase, "Crikey!" onscreen captivated millions.

To read more on this story, click here: Remembering ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin 15 years after death

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An Enormous Alligator Tried to be The Doormat of a Home in Louisiana Saturday

St. Martin Parish, Louisiana  - An enormous alligator tried to be the doormat of a home in Louisiana Saturday.

St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office posted photos of the at least 6-foot gator splayed across the front stoop of a home.

"So....you never know what may show up on your door step (sic)!" the sheriff's office wrote on Facebook. "Just another day in the life of a St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office Patrol Deputy."

One of the photos posted by the sheriff's office appears to show the gator vacating its comfortable spot in the shade of the house, but its open mouth suggests it was not happy to be leaving.

The sheriff's office provided one last bit of advice in its post: "Always look before you step!"



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Arlington, Virginia: Owners of Exotic Species as Companion Animals Are Allowed to Keep Them

Arlington, VA - Owners of snakes, panthers and crocodiles: If you already claim a wild and exotic species as a companion animal in this famously liberal suburb, you get to keep them.

If you’ve dawdled over choosing between a skunk or a bobcat, however, you’re out of luck.

The Arlington County Board Tuesday night banned the ownership of a whole variety of species — primates, raccoons, wolves or wolf hybrids, coyotes, squirrels, foxes, leopards, tigers, lions (even in Lyon Park), bears, wildcats, ratites (a diverse group of large, flightless birds), venomous snakes, and certain scorpions, centipedes and spiders.

Hedgehogs are permitted, as are nonvenomous snakes.

“What began as a seemingly straightforward effort to ban exotic pets in Arlington became much more complex and nuanced as the process evolved,” Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette said in a statement.

“Ultimately, through a lot of conversation with the community, we were able to adopt a Code amendment that reaches a practical balance of the input received from all sides and is enforceable.”

The county in February first proposed the ban, but it was delayed due to an outcry from pet owners and the state, which pointed out many of the creatures Arlington sought to ban or register were already prohibited.

The change allows Arlington officials to enforce the ban, and require registration of existing exotic pets through the Arlington Animal Welfare League.

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Los Angeles Woman Has Her 8 Foot Alligator Pet Seized by Cops After Claims She Was Feeding it Feral Cats After the Creature Was Found Surrounded by Kitten Carcasses

California animal control discovered an eight-foot alligator surrounded by the bodies of two cats at a suburban Los Angeles home on Monday.

The female crocodile named Jaxson was found in a box with a lid at the home of Laura Mattson, who had been caring for the reptile for years, possibly decades.

'It was found under foliage and debris. You had to be looking for it to locate it,' said Mark Salazar, of field operations director for Los Angeles Animal Services, who said experts estimate Jaxson is 40 years old.

To read more on this story, click here: Los Angeles Woman Has Her 8 Foot Alligator Pet Seized by Cops After Claims She Was Feeding it Feral Cats FOLLOW US!

Following in His Father's Footsteps, Steve Irwin's Son Robert Doing Dad Proud by Carrying on His Animal Loving-Legacy

He was one-month old when wildlife expert Steve Irwin cradled his son in his arm while dangling a slab of meat over a crocodile waiting to be fed.

But Robert was just three years old when his father was tragically killed after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming in Australia's Great Barrier Reef in an underwater documentary film titled Ocean’s Deadliest.

Eight years on, Robert, now aged 10, has been following his father’s footsteps and carrying on his animal-loving legacy.

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