When Terri Raines was twenty-seven years old, she took a vacation that changed her life. Leaving behind her wildlife rescue work in Oregon, Terri traveled to Australia, and there, at a small wildlife park, she met and fell in love with a tall, blond force of nature named Steve Irwin. They were married in less than a year, and Terri eagerly joined in Steve's conservation work. The footage filmed on their crocodile-trapping honeymoon became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, and together, Steve and Terri began to change the world.

In Steve & Me, Terri recounts the unforgettable adventures they shared — wrangling venomous snakes, saving deadly crocodiles from poachers, swimming among humpback whales. A uniquely gifted naturalist, Steve was first and foremost a wildlife warrior dedicated to rescuing endangered animals — especially his beloved crocs — and educating everyone he could reach about the importance of conservation. In the hit TV shows that continue to be broadcast worldwide, Steve's enthusiasm lives on, bringing little-known and often-feared species to light as he reveals and revels in the wonders of our planet.

With grace, wit, and candor, Terri Irwin portrays her husband as he really was — a devoted family man, a fervently dedicated environmentalist, a modest bloke who spoke to millions on behalf of those who could not speak for themselves. Steve & Me is a nonstop adventure, a real-life love story, and a fitting tribute to a man adored by all those whose lives he touched, written by the woman who knew and loved him best of all.

From the woman who knew Steve Irwin best comes a loving, moving story of their life together, his astonishing legacy, and the man behind the Crocodile Hunter phenomenon. 16-page full-color photo insert.

Terri Irwin is the owner of Australia Zoo at Beerwah, Queensland, Australia. She costarred with her husband on The Crocodile Hunter, as well as their spin-off series The Crocodile Hunter Diaries and Croc Files. She lives in Australia with their two children, Bindi and Robert.

Contents

Foreword by Professor Craig E. Franklin  Chapter One: First Encounter  Chapter Two: Malina  Chapter Three: Rescue  Chapter Four: Burdekin  Chapter Five: The Crocodile Hunter  Chapter Six: Zoo  Chapter Seven: Stacks of Fun  Chapter Eight: Egg Stealing  Chapter Nine: "I Know What We Have to Do"  Chapter Ten: Animal Planet  Chapter Eleven: Bindi Sue  Chapter Twelve: The Crocodile Kid  Chapter Thirteen: On the Road Again  Chapter Fourteen: Coming Back  Chapter Fifteen: Baby Bob  Chapter Sixteen: Antarctica  Chapter Seventeen: The School of the Bush  Chapter Eighteen: Batt Reef  Chapter Nineteen: Steve's Whale One  Come Join Us  Condolence  Glossary of Australian Terms  Acknowledgments