This fall, the Irwin family returns to Animal Planet with a new television series.
It was a sunny morning in late July. A twelve-hour flight across the Pacific finally brought me to the destination of my pilgrimage. I stood at the gates of Australia Zoo - home of the Crocodile Hunter - nestled along Australia's Sunshine Coast in the shadows of the Glasshouse Mountains.
Ten minutes in, I was busy photographing a pair of rhinoceros iguanas when my friend said, "I wonder what all those people are taking pictures of?" A crowd was gathered around the bend. I walked around a thick stand of bamboo, expecting to see an interesting animal or two.
Instead, I came face-to-face with Terri Irwin, wife of the late, great Crocodile Hunter himself.
Filming Begins at Australia Zoo
Terri stood before a camera crew, speaking avidly about a bird of prey held by a zookeeper.
Putting the reins on my inner geek (who wanted to gush, "I've wanted to meet you since I was a kid!"), I waited patiently for the filming to conclude.
When I asked Terri to take a selfie with me, she confided that they were filming for a new Animal Planet television series set to debut in November/October 2018. What would it be called? "They haven't decided on the official title yet," she said, "but it will be something about the Irwin family."
Later that day, we followed a troop of cooing ringtailed lemurs across Bindi's Island as their keepers called out, "Lemurs, come on!" The lemurs were led to the Aldabran tortoise paddock, where Robert "Bob" Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter's son, was also filming a segment for the new show.
The Legacy Continues
Steve Irwin's mission, through both his wildlife park and The Crocodile Hunter television series, was to foster conservation through education. His wife and children continue his legacy.
The new series, yet to be named, will center on the Irwin family's continuing conservation efforts. It will also feature their work at the zoo and wildlife-oriented travels.
Both Terri and the children are very active in zoo activities. Robert is rumored to visit the animals daily, as did his father before him. Bindi celebrated her 20th birthday at the zoo on July 24. After my conversation with Terri, I watched as she answered the questions of an elderly zoo visitor. She then offered to give her a ride to the information desk on her personal golf cart.
The best part? Terri said, "They'll be filming all around the zoo today. You'll probably be in it." This photographer, therefore, eagerly awaits the new Irwin television premiere along with millions of fans around the world.