Bindi Irwin, nine, has overcome the tragic death of her environmentalist father Steve to become the youngest wildlife warrior in the world, with a new 13-part TV show starting on Animal Planet next week
Bindi Irwin is carrying on where her father, the late naturalist and television star Steve Irwin, left off: by educating people about the wonders of the natural world and the need to protect wildlife for future generations.
'I believe that we will lose a lot of animals from the planet before I'm old enough to drive. That's very sad. I want to encourage people to do something in their own way to stop this terrible thing from happening. One thing everyone can do is not buy wildlife products any more,' says the nine-year-old.
Her new TV series, Bindi: The Jungle Girl, will be shown every weekday from 6-6.30pm on Animal Planet from December 3. The 13-part series will introduce viewers to a wide variety of animals, ranging from elephants, black bears, lions and wombats to whales, eagles, Komodo dragons and leeches.
'I have been around animals since the day I was born. My dad taught me to respect them, so I have never had any fear to overcome. And of course, I am always with someone who knows the safe way to interact with them.'
For Bindi, conservation has always been a family affair. Her grandparents started the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park (now called Australia Zoo), where her father grew up around crocodiles, snakes and giant lizards. Steve Irwin matured to become a passionate conservationist who believed in promoting environmentalism by sharing his enthusiasm for wildlife rather than preaching to people. His TV series The Crocodile Hunter, which debuted in 1996, was a hit in Australia and the US thanks to his energetic and enthusiastic style of presentation.
