KANNUR: On his tenth death anniversary , Australian wildlife expert, television personality and conservationist Steve Irwin, better known as the Crocodile Hunter, got a memorial at Parassinkadavu snake park in Kannur. The life-size concrete statue was unveiled by snake park director Prof E. Kunhiraman. The efforts of Crocodile Lovers Club at Parassinikkadavu resulted in the memorial. The statue which depicts Irwin’s famous pose carrying a crocodile was created by noted sculptor Shyju Kannan.
Irwin, who became world famous for his daring stunts with dangerous animals, died aged 44 in 2006 while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef in far north Queensland. “Steve Irwin helped the common man to understand the wild and aquatic life through his programmes. He is lucky in one way that he died while doing his dearest job. The statue is an apt tribute for the legendary man,” said Prof Kunhiraman. Sculptor Shyju Kannan said that this was the first time a statue of Steve Irwin was being unveiled in India. “This statue, which is six feet tall, is one of my favourite works,” added Shyju, who is noted for his works across the country.
Stephen Robert Irwin
Stephen Robert Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006), died after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming an underwater documentary film titled Ocean's Deadliest. In honour of Steve Irwin, Glass House Mountains Road that runs by the Australia Zoo, was officially renamed Steve Irwin Way and the Australian Government named 35,000-hectare national park in Queensland as Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve. An asteroid discovered in 2001 has been named 57567 Crikey in honour of Irwin and his ‘signature phrase.’
