Remembering Steve Irwin

Hello Curious Minds! I just wanted to share a quick note:

Today marks 20 years since the world lost Steve Irwin. Few days from my childhood bring back such vivid memories — I remember as the morning news teams grappled with his sudden death, and the inescapable sense of loss felt around the world. I remember the solidarity (and tears) as I was but one of 300 million viewers who tuned into his memorial service. I remain inspired by the hundreds of millions of people who recognize the importance of conservation, who seek wildlife experiences, and who understand the value of culturing a genuine connection with the natural world.

A few years after Steve’s passing, it was a dream come true for me to visit the Australia Zoo. His example has so inspired much of my own approach — including with The Ant Network and now with TrapJaw Labs. I think Steve Irwin profoundly understood something critical about conservation: people must feel personally connected to living things in order to protect them.

In Steve’s words: "If we can teach people about wildlife, they will be touched. Share my wildlife with me. Because humans want to save things that they love.”

As TrapJaw Labs develops, I hope that we can provide people with a unique and genuine opportunity to connect with the natural world. Ants are among the most ecologically important organisms on Earth, and their near omnipresence gives people everywhere the chance to explore their own innate curiosity; to challenge their place in the web of life. With ants and other arthropods, we can sustainably provide meaningful, hand-on experiences that build empathy for living things, interest in what makes them different from and similar to us, and hopefully inspire them to advocate for conservation of wildlife and wild places.

I am so excited to be taking this path, and to be working so hard — in my own way — to continue Steve’s legacy of conservation, wildlife advocacy, and science education. Thank you for taking a moment to remember The Crocodile Hunter, and for giving me the chance to share this sentiment with you.

Croc’s Rule!

Miles Maxcer