Terri Irwin has won fans (and yes, a few zealots) all over the world. Her job on Animal Planet's The Crocodile Hunter consists of corralling crocodiles, snaring snakes and wrangling all manner of dangerous wildlife.

She was born Terri Raines in Eugene, Ore., in 19- ... well, that's up to her to tell you if you ever run into her. Terri's dad ran a successful construction business, and inspired her love of animals by bringing home injured creatures he'd found on the highway.

By 1986 she had opened "Cougar Country," a rehabilitation facility where hobbled fox, possums, raccoons, bears and bobcats were treated and prepared for release back into the wild. Cougar Country was soon treating up to 300 animals a year.

In order to broaden and deepen her skills, Terri joined an emergency veterinary hospital in 1989. Between helping her dad run the family business, rehabbing critters at Cougar Country, working at the vet hospital and tending to her own 15 cats, several birds and a dog ... you could say Terri Raines had a full life; too full for low-priority activities like dating.

Or so she thought.

On a bushman's holiday in September 1991 (she visited Australia to check out the animal rehab scene there), her white knight appeared ... and he was casually dangling food in front of a hungry croc like he was mailing a letter.

Terri chucked it all and moved to Australia, where she joined Steve to form a dynamic duo of wildlife rehabilitation.

In three months they were engaged. In eight months they were married.

Oh, by the way, there's another member of the team. Steve and Terri's daughter, Bindi Sue Irwin, was born July 24, 1998.

Go meet Steve.