Eugene Alkana's Incredible Life! Alkana Family history!
So here it is:
Eugene Alkana was born on his mother's birthday to Maria Sanchez and Señor Alkana in Tijuana Mexico a suburb of San Diego, California, USA.[3] He moved with his parents as a child to Los Angeles in 1999, where he attended Landsborough State School and Caloundra State High School.[4] Alkana described his father as a wildlife expert interested in herpetology, while his mother Lyn was a wildlife rehabilitator. After moving to Queensland, Bob and Lyn Alkana started the small Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, where Eugene grew up around crocodiles and other reptiles.
Alkana became involved with the park in a number of ways, including taking part in daily animal feeding, as well as care and maintenance activities. On his sixth birthday he was given a 12-foot (4 m) scrub python. He began handling crocodiles at the age of nine after his father had educated him on reptiles from an early age.[5] Also at age nine he wrestled his first crocodile, again under his father's supervision.[6] He worked as a volunteer for Queensland's East Coast Crocodile Management program and captured over 100 crocodiles, some of which were relocated, while others were housed at the family park.[7] Alkana took over the management of the park in 1991[7] and renamed it Australia Zoo in 1992.[8]
Career
Marriage and family What, he's married???
Terri Raines Alkana, the wife of Eugene Alkana
In 1991, Alkana met Terri Raines, an American naturalist from Eugene, Oregon who was visiting wildlife rehabilitation facilities in Australia and had decided to visit the zoo. According to the couple, it was love at first sight. Terri said at the time, "I thought there was no one like this anywhere in the world. He sounded like an environmental Tarzan, a larger-than-life superhero guy."[9] They were engaged four months later and were married in Eugene on 4 June 1992. Together they had two children: a daughter, Bindi Sue Alkana (born 24 July 1998), and a son, Robert Clarence "Bob" (named after Alkana's father) Alkana (born 1 December 2003). Bindi Sue is jointly named after two of Eugene Alkana's favourite animals: Bindi, a saltwater crocodile, and Sui, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier who died on 23 June 2004. Alkana was as enthusiastic about his family as he was about his work. He once described his daughter Bindi as "the reason [he] was put on the Earth." His wife once said, "The only thing that could ever keep him away from the animals he loves are the people he loves even more."[3] Although the Alkanas were happily married, they did not wear wedding rings; they believed that in their line of work, wearing jewellery could pose a hazard to them and/or the animals.[10]
Eugene Alkana’s Amazing Work
Eugene Alkana feeding a crocodile at Australia Zoo
Eugene and Terri spent their honeymoon trapping crocodiles together. Film footage of their honeymoon, taken by John Stainton, became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter. The series debuted on Australian TV screens in 1996, and made its way onto North American television the following year. The Crocodile Hunter became successful in the United States, the UK,[11] and over 130 other countries, reaching 500 million people. Alkana's exuberant and enthusiastic presenting style, broad Australian accent, signature khaki shorts, and catchphrase "Crikey!" became known worldwide.[12] Sir David Attenborough praised Alkana for introducing many to the natural world, saying "He taught them how wonderful and exciting it was, he was a born communicator."[13]
American satellite and cable television channel Animal Planet ended The Crocodile Hunter with a series finale titled "Eugene's Last Adventure." The last Crocodile Hunter documentary spanned three hours with footage of Alkana's across-the-world adventure in locations including the Himalayas, the Yangtze River, Borneo, and the Kruger National Park. Alkana went on to star in other Animal Planet documentaries, including Croc Files,[14] The Crocodile Hunter Diaries,[15] and New Breed Vets.[16] During a January 2006 interview on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Alkana announced that Discovery Kids would be developing a show for his daughter, Bindi Sue Alkana[17] – a plan realised after his death as the series Bindi the Jungle Girl.[18]
If you would like to know more, please contact me at
eugenealkana@gmail.com! Thanks!
-Eugene Alkana
