Steve Irwin

You know, you can touch a stick of dynamite, but if you touch a venomous snake it'll turn around and bite you and kill you so fast it's not even funny.

When I talk to the camera, mate, it's not like I'm talking to the camera, I'm talking to you because I want to whip you around and plunk you right there with me.

We've evolved from sitting back on our tripods and shooting wildlife films like they have been shot historically, which doesn't work for us.

That might have a lot to do with it, but you know, I probably don't show fear, but I suffer from fear like everyone else.

Take the crocodile, for example, my favorite animal. There are 23 species. Seventeen of those species are rare or endangered. They're on the way out, no matter what anyone does or says, you know.

So now what happens is the cameras follow me around and capture exactly what I've been doing since I was a boy. Only now we have a team of, you know, like 73 of us, and it's gone beyond that.

So fear helps me from making mistakes, but I make lot of mistakes.

Since I was a boy, from this house, I was out rescuing crocodiles and snakes. My mum and dad were very passionate about that and, I was lucky enough to go along.

My field is with apex predators, hence your crocodiles, your snakes, your spiders.

My dad taught me from my youngest childhood memories through these connections with Aboriginal and tribal people that you must always protect people's sacred status, regardless of the pest.

I've probably saved thousands of peoples' lives with my educational message on snake bites, how to get in around venomous anything.

I'm a proud Australian, a very, very proud Australian.

I have no fear of losing my life - if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it.

I get called an adrenaline junkie every other minute, and I'm just fine with that.

I believe our biggest issue is the same biggest issue that the whole world is facing, and that's habitat destruction.

This is going to be under water one or two days a year.

The first crocodile I ever caught was at nine years of age, and it was a rescue.

Yeah, for some reason parrots have to bite me. That's their job. I don't know why that is. They've nearly torn my nose off. I've had some really bad parrot bites.

Snakes are just very instinctive to me. I've been playing with snakes since before I could walk. It doesn't matter where or what it is, from the biggest to the most venomous.

Herein lies our problem. If we level that much land to grow rice and whatever, then no other animal could live there except for some insect pest species. Which is very unfortunate.

She would definitely be the oldest living animal on Earth ... I can't see why she shouldn't live till 200.

I am optimistic globally. So many scientists are working frantically on the reparation of our planet.

We need to increase the perception for people who live in Apollo, Butler and everywhere else that it's OK to come into the city.

I believe that education is all about being excited about something. Seeing passion and enthusiasm helps push an educational message.

You know, I'm Australian, and we have got the worst sense of humor. We are cruel to each other.