Mantle passes to Bindi
WELL travelled . . . Bindi Irwin, at 4 years, now 8, has made more than 400 flights
EVEN before she was born, Bindi Irwin was always going to be a natural successor to her famous father.
A blend of her dad's fearlessness and charisma as well as mother Terri Irwin's unaffected, down-to-earth charm, Bindi, who turned eight in July, has been groomed from the start to follow in dad's footsteps.
Just weeks before giving birth to their first daughter in July 1998, Terri Irwin had been catching tiger snakes in Tasmania, handling western diamondback rattlesnakes in the US and helping film a sea creature documentary.
She told The Courier-Mail at the time that her pregnancy with Bindi had been "textbook" and it was only her swelling girth putting her off-balance that had stopped her from doing feeding demonstrations in Australia Zoo's crocodile enclosures.
"I can't jump the fences quickly enough it's very embarrassing," she said.
The Irwins said even then that they planned to take their first-born everywhere with them from day one filming documentaries on location with the help of a nanny.
"The little varmint will be coming everywhere with us. We won't be absent parents," Terri said.
The Irwins were as good as their word and both Bindi and later her young brother Robert rapidly became seasoned jet-setters.
When The Courier-Mail interviewed the family exclusively a year ago, Bindi had just marked her 407th flight at the tender age of seven and Bob, then almost two, had a little catching up to do with only 80 flights.
He had to wait until his December birthday before being eligible to collect frequent flyer points, but Bindi had been collecting hers for five years travelling to 14 countries.
Born and raised in the middle of Australia Zoo in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Bindi was always going to be a true-blue wild child.
"She's remarkably gifted with animals," Terri said. "Her dad's got the gift and she's got the same gift whether it's koalas, camels or crocodiles."
Terri said that just like Irwin, Bindi had also endured the occasional nip or two including a nose bite from a little carpet python she was cuddling and kissing.
"She just looked very surprised. Then she kissed it again (the snake) and it bit her lip. She learnt a valuable lesson, that some snakes bite.
"She's not afraid. She just understands now and treats animals with respect."
Even at the age of two Bindi enjoyed the seeing herself in some of the latest Crocodile Hunter series, referring to them as "The Bindi Show".
It was an early introduction to the spotlight as her appearances in her father's documentaries and shows grew gradually.
In an emotional interview this week, Irwin's father Bob said he would probably be stepping in to fill the void left by his son's death until Bindi and Bob grew up.
"I have to recover because Steve will want his work carried on and I might be able to fill in until Bindi and Robert are old enough to take over," he said.
Irwin himself predicted just that when he was interviewed by Andrew Denton on ABC television's Enough Rope, describing Bindi as "incredibly insightful" and "a lot smarter than I was".
Irwin's best friend, producer and family spokesman John Stainton also said this week that he believed Bindi would carry out her father's mission in life.
"I'm sure Bindi will follow in her father's footsteps like the true wildlife warrior that she is," he said.
However, I watched it and for the first time besides the day he died it brought tears to my eyes. It was absolutely beautiful!!!
