I just heard this morning that Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter, died. He was stung in the heart by a stingray on the Great Barrier Reef while filming a new spot "Ocean's Deadliest" for his daughter Bindi's new TV show.I liked him. His pure enthusiasm for nature was inspiring. But of course I also watched his shows for the same reason that people watch Nascar - waiting for the crash.
I think we can all feel good that at least he died in a way that was befitting of him. Not only did he die at the hand of nature, it was a fantastic, memorable way to die. It is extremely rare to be killed by the normally passive stingray let alone be pierce in the heart by one.
Steve Irwin, you will be missed.
9 comments:
My sister just called and told me about this. So sad.
I ranted about this already on my wasteofspace, but I think he was a selfish bastard for depriving his kids of a dad for the sake of a tv show.
It was an amazing death. I don't know how I feel...on one hand, I liked watching the crazy things he did, and I'm sad he died. Another part of me wants to say "live by the sword, die by the sword."
I heard the last thing he did was to actually pull the barb out of his chest...yeeouch!
Certainly big news down here downunder. What a fluke. Puts a damper on my trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Not only do I have to fear saltwater crocs, killer sharks but now stingrays.
Steve Irwin will be missed.
I did really like him.His enthusiasm was catching.
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Laurie, I found about it on NPR.
Shamus, I was thinking about the time that he had his kid hanging over the croc and was trying to tell everyone that it was fine because he knew how to read animals. He's lucky that he didn't misread that croc like he did that ray.
Shannon, I'm torn too. We all knew that it was going to happen. It was inevitable.
SSB, OUCH!! Maybe he should have just left it in?
Wendy, just don't go poking anything with a stick.
Pink Lady, I like people who aren't afraid to show enthusiasm.
I was wondering why people watched Nascar!
This was simply unbelievable, stingrays very rarely attack or cause problems for divers, but he took a direct barb to the heart. A freak accident that occurred when swimming directly over and slightly behind the stingray with the camera man probably too closes in front filming.
Steve was very entertaining and really didn’t take on the risks as it appeared with his lifetime’s experience of animals from the time he was a toddler looking after the families Reptile Park and helping catch crocodiles with his father. Even that famous shot with his son, that caused all of the uproar was a deceptive shot as from another angle the distance from the croc was far greater than the photo and film clip indicated. But more importantly he was all about conservation, education, and making sure animals have adequate habitat. He put my life on the line to save animals, calling himself a "wildlife warrior". His message was conservation.
Irwin was estimated to be earning $4 million a year from his Australia Zoo alone.
Four years ago, his television work was netting him $20 million a year.
He funnelled all that into conservation.
He bought hectares of land around the world, land that Irwin planned to transform into wildlife reserves.
He spent $8.8 million on land around Australia Zoo.
He spoke about expanding Australia Zoo to incorporate a flowing river system, teeming with rhinoceros and hippopotami that tourists could cruise down, admiring African animals in natural habitats.
He was linked to major land holdings in Tasmania, Vanuatu, and Fiji and throughout the U.S. It was all for conservation, he maintained: The land, the documentaries, the films, the Steve Irwin dolls.
It was all for them.
The Irwin family had a three-decade scientific research relationship with the Queensland Museum.
In 2001, Irwin received a Centenary Medal for his services to conservation.
In the wake of Irwin's death, scientists from around the world praised his conservation efforts. He spent a lot of time with his family and an awful lot of his own money buying back habitant for his beloved animal family and investing in animal habitat, tht otherwise would be lost.
best wishes