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Mrs. Crocodile Hunter

American Fitness, May, 2000

Most of us work out for the same few basic reasons: to look good in a bathing suit, improve our health and have fun. Terri Irwin's reason for staying fit falls into a category all its own. This vivacious 36-year-old must be in peak physical and mental form in order to respond to the unpredictable moves of animals such as crocodiles and Komodo dragons. Irwin stars in Animal Planet's The Crocodile Hunter, a one-hour weekly show that she co-hosts with her husband, Steve Irwin.

During the 2 1/2 years the show has been on the air, Irwin and her husband have crisscrossed the globe encountering outrageous, adrenaline-rushing adventures. To name just a few critters, they have rustled rattlesnakes, chased camels, swam with sharks and cuddled with crocodiles. No challenge is too daunting for this fearless duo.

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"When we're handling rattlesnakes to show how beautiful they are, it's in the hope that we'll begin a generation of people who appreciate all life instead of doing horrifying things like rattlesnake roundups," Irwin explains.

Irwin has always cared for animals. Growing up in Eugene, Oregon, her father, owner of a large trucking business, was constantly bringing injured animals home from the highways. Through this experience, Irwin developed a commitment to caring for animals and releasing them back into the wild. In 1986, she started a facility called "Cougar Country" that rehabilitates and releases predatory mammals such as foxes, possums, raccoons, bears, bobcats and cougars. To gain further knowledge on giving care and support to all kinds of animals, she joined an emergency veterinary hospital to work as a vet technician.

It was while visiting Australia to explore its rehabilitation scene that she met her husband at the Queensland Reptile & Fauna Park at Beerwah. They immediately fell in love. Six months later, they were married and she relocated to Australia where, besides filming her television show, she assists Steve as the director of the Australia Zoo in Queensland.

To stay in shape, Irwin works out six days per week. She runs 2 1/2 miles per day and lifts weights for a half-hour after warming up on a rowing machine.

The Crocodile Hunter can be seen on the Animal Planet channel, airing on Sunday and Wednesday nights from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. (ET/PT) and on Sunday afternoons from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (ET/PT).

Mrs. Crocodile Hunter

American Fitness, May, 2000

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