Steve Irwin killed by stingray. :(

I'd prefer to be somewhat less lucky, thanks

Aaron, this is just the reason there's no human conservationists. Much of our species just isn't worth saving.

As it all turns out, I thank Steve for what I learned from him, in ways which neither Lorne Greene, David Suzuki, or anyone else that came before him could accomplish. A Greene style voiceover over footage of animals was nothing like what Steve did. He did what he did for both people and animals and I for one will miss his humor and approach, no matter how 'irresponsible' some think he was. He was the real Crocodile Dundee, and then some. My heart goes out to his wife and kids. They'll keep everything going there, guaranteed, but yeah, it won't be the same.

He was in a sense a conservational superhero down here. I think most people outside Australia see him as 'the nut on tv who harasses the animals'. But he really and truely loved animals and did a lot of good things regarding the environment...

from wikipedia:

Irwin was a passionate conservationist and believed in promoting environmentalism by sharing his excitement about the natural world rather than preaching to people. He was concerned with conservation of endangered animals and land clearing leading to loss of habitat. He considered conservation to be the most important part of his work: "I consider myself a wild-life warrior. My mission is to save the world's endangered species." Irwin bought "large tracts of land" in Australia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the United States, which he described as "like national parks" and stressed the importance of people realising that they could each make a difference.

He had urged people to take part in considerate tourism and not support illegal poaching through the purchase of items such as turtle shells, or shark-fin soup

He founded the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation, which was later renamed Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, and became an independent charity. He was described after his death by the CEO of RSPCA Queensland as a "modern-day Noah", and British naturalist David Bellamy lauded his skills as a natural historian and media performer. Irwin discovered a new species of turtle that now bears his name, Elseya irwini—Irwin's Turtle—a type of snapping turtle found on the coast of Queensland.

He also helped to found a number of other projects, such as the International Crocodile Rescue, as well as the Lyn Irwin Memorial Fund, in memory of his mother, with proceeds going to the Iron Bark Station Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

Without all the media hype and his onscreen antics, Steve was just a plain old nice guy, who loved his family, loved his job and loved animals, his death was a freak accident and he will be sorely missed.

I've always wondered how much of the "I will will now stick my head fully inside the croc's mouth" routine was him and how much was him being egged on by the people with the money who knew what it did for the ratings.

Thank you, someone who actually posted what he commonly went around doing.

It's sort of like how people say, "I care about my dog, that's why I had him fixed." instead of being honest and saying "I care more about the hassle of if I didn't get him fixed than I do my dog's happiness."

People who say, "I care dearly about animals" while they're holding an amimal down to the ground, with excessive force, the animal is absolutely terrified, and then they staple a tag to its ear and let it go, "Oh, that's a feisty one!"--yeah, that's really "caring" about animals. It's caring about educating people about animals, but it has not one damned thing to do about actually caring about the animals themselves (other than studying what they do in the wild to find out how to keep a species from dying out).

I think part of this mindset is from people who have a belief system that thinks that everything on the planet was "put here" for our amusement and enjoyment--usually stemming from bible-based beliefs. You would never see a traditional native American doing to animals what you see on a lot of shows that are on Animal Planet. That station sickens me a lot from what gets done to animals in the name of education, and then the people on those shows have the audacity to say that they "care so much about animals". BS! It's all about our entertainment and education, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but let's not call it something different than it is.

I don't think Irwin "deserved" what he got, but it IS to be expected. What's ironic (if I have the definition of irony in my head correct) about the whole thing is that he got killed by an animal that isn't considered deadly, but I have no doubt that he was intimidating it like he does all the rest of the animals he works with.

He's sort of the equivalent of someone tapping hard on a fishtank full of pirhana and sticking his hand in the tank, and lifting his hand out right before they attack. "Ooh, feisty!"

Before people start attacking me in text on what I've just said, let me say this:

I feel really sorry for his family, and I think it's a shame that someone as young as he was had to die so soon.

Everyone dies sometime. I'm glad that when he died, it was doing something he enjoyed. Not many people get to die while doing what they enjoy.

I understand what you mean, I do But answer me this, how are we to learn about different animals in the wild? We cant possibly learn all there is to know from a distance. I can totally see people percieving what you described as antagonizing.. but how are we to pick up a snake? lol. Snakes strike. Pulling the tail the opposite direction is safest.. as well as pinning the head to the ground to pick him up is safest. Or, risk a strike, possibly venom. Speaking of venom, which people collect to use towards life saving anti-venom serums... do you deem that as antagonizing as well? If so, what other ways should venom be collected?
I dont mean to pick a fight with you, i just think this all boils down to a difference in someones definetion of what antagonizing. I dont condone animal cruelty in any way. I just dont see what Irwin did, as being cruel or antagonizing.

Ditto. By the way has anyone seen the old Wild Kingdom shows where Marlin Perkins and his sidekick Jim rassled animals to the ground? I don't think the animals were having much fun...

Well, look at all the OTHER World Wide celebrities Australia has to be proud of:

1. Crocodile Dundee (a.k.a. Paul Hogan & his illustrius career)
   
2. Mel Gibson
   
3. Olivia Newton John
   
4. Yahoo Serious
   

Um, ok. Now I see why they'd be upset losing Irwin

We'll give you Tom Cruise if you want him!!!!

Hey, what's wrong with Olivia Newton-John?

The BBC news page has a nice obituary, and there are public comments ago-go also on the BBC site.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5311982.stm

Cali

Sure it is! Didn't you see him dangle that nice plump little baby tantalisingly over the crocs mouth and then snatch it away and give the poor bastard a measly chicken carcass instead? That's just mean!

I won't ever forget watching an episode of his program where Steve and Teri went to an area of Australia, I believe, where there had been devastating wild fires. They went to try to rescue as many animals as they could. He found this little lizard, terribly burned but still alive. It wasn't going to survive and Steve Irwin held that lizard while it died in his hands, because in his mind, he didn't want it to die alone. While the lizard had no concept of death or being alone, I found it really moving that Irwin was so broken up over one small life. I think that's one of the things people loved most about the guy. Every animal or insect was beautiful in his eyes.

I know that some of you are having fun being clever about his tragic death. For my family, especially my 12 year old daughter and 7 year old stepson, it's not funny at all. It's unutterably sad.

hey don't forget Foster's commercials that are marginally entertaining

Are you telling me you were more worried over the croc in that case, than the child? lol. Your post resembles that. Apologies if I'm wrong.
I didnt realize that particular show was the main topic here. I understood from other posts it was a general "Irwin was mean to animals" which is the reason for my first response.

I dont agree with the fact that he did what he did with his infant child, and you can bet he got a good arse reaming from his wife when it was all over with! I can bet there was a bit of ego mixed with general human stupidity. But hey, let he who hath never been stupid, throw the first stone. Its tiring when people have nothing positive to say about anyone, much less a person who's died, a family who's lost a son, or a husband or a father.

Sure! I much prefer crocodiles (and pretty much any other animal too (except Jack Russell Terriers, obviously)) to people - and frankly there are far too many people in the world already so I think we can afford to feed a few babies (and Jack Russell Terriers) to crocodiles every now and then. Actually, I positively recommend it.

You are a classy designer and a classy person. I was trying to find the right frame of mind to handle this. It was especially hard for me as I too am 44. But you are right, he led an exciting life and he did a lot of good. He should be remembered as such and not for the tragic way he happened to die.

It would have been even sadder if it had been something as mundane as stepping off of a curb and getting smacked by a bus.

LOL.. ohh my bad, your one of those derailer posters.. gotcha erm.. got me perhaps? lol

I find your lack of tolerance of Jack Russel Terriers to be highly offensive!

Well, his death really comes as no huge surprise -- it was probably bound to happen sooner or later, and I think even Steve himself must have realized that, at least on some level. They who live by the sword (which isn't a perfect fit, but ... close enough) sooner or later can expect to also die by the sword.

I think it's sad that some people are cheering about it. Certainly, people die every day, and it could be said that Steve Irwin's death is no more tragic than the deaths of many others, and certainly, he was a little bit crazy (I think, to do what he did, he would have to have been). Still, he was a human being, and he left behind family, and whatever else you may say about him, he did also do a lot of good.

Even if it isn't all that surprising in one sense, it still does manage to come as a shock somehow, though. I think some of us had almost begun to believe that the man was somehow invincible, somehow not subject to the same risks as the rest of us "mere mortals" -- like a superhero, which I suppose is exactly how some people did see him. Maybe he had begun to believe it himself, too. Maybe that's why he didn't slow down for the sake of his family ... or maybe it's just because it was whom he was, the only way he could be, even if it was bound to kill him one day.

Anyway, my heart goes out to his family.

Steve irwin was one of those people whos way of doing things devided opinion everywhere.

I remember the Premier of Queenland saying he gives the state a bad image, then a few hours later, he said, He's great for the state, and brings in visitors. Nothing like a flip-flop from Premier Peter Beattie

IF you have lived in the area of queensland like I have, with crocs and snakes and dingos are alround the place, you didn't want your kids to get ideas to pull their tails, or put them in a headlock.

Is his death deserved, ironic, the way he wanted to go..probably none of them. It's as much deserved, etc as a race car driver killed on the track.

Simply a high probability of it happening.

He was also a good businessman.

While I feel sorry for his wife and children, they are US$50m better off than my mother and I, when my father left when I was 4.

RIP Steve