I'm not sure whether this is the appropriate forum for this piece of news, but if it isn't, the mods can always move it
CNN wrote:SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Steve Irwin, the Australian TV presenter known as the "Crocodile Hunter," has died after being stung in a marine accident off Australia's north coast.
Australian media reports say Irwin was diving in waters off Port Douglas, north of Cairns, when the incident happened on Monday morning.
Irwin, 44 was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest, according to Cairns police sources. Irwin was filming an underwater documentary at the time.
Ambulance officers confirmed they attended a reef fatality Monday morning off Port Douglas, according to Australian media.
Queensland Police Services also confirmed Irwin's death and said his family had been notified. Irwin was director of the Australian Zoo in Queensland.
He is survived by his American-born wife Terri and their two children, Bindi Sue, born 1998, and Robert (Bob), born December 2003.
Irwin became a popular figure on Australian and international television through Irwin's close handling of wildlife, most notably the capture and relocation of crocodiles.
Irwin's enthusiastic approach to nature conservation and the environment won him a global following. He was known for his exuberance and use of the catch phrase "Crikey!"
But his image suffered a setback in January 2004 when he held his then 1-month-old baby Bob while feeding a crocodile at his Australian zoo. (Full story)
In a statement released to Australian media, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer expressed his sorrow and said that he was fond of Irwin and was very appreciative of all the work he had done in promoting Australia overseas.
In 2003, Irwin spoke to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.'s Australian Story television program about how he was perceived in his home country.
"When I see what's happened all over the world, they're looking at me as this very popular, wildlife warrior Australian bloke," he said, the ABC reported.
"And yet back here in my own country, some people find me a little bit embarrassing. "You know, there's this... they kind of cringe, you know, 'cause I'm coming out with 'Crikey' and 'Look at this beauty'."
Yes, sad news. He also did a lot for awareness of various endangered critters, etc. He did seem to take a lot of chances, just like another animal hunter celeb whose name I can't recall now. He probably tried to hug that sting-ray. Anyway, sad news and I feel for his family, one of whom was on the boat with him, I think I read.
Cowboy: Why you doin' this, Doc?
Doc Holliday: Because Wyatt Earp is my friend.
Cowboy: Friend? Hell, I got lots of friends.
Doc Holliday: ... I don't.
Very sad news. He was funny and enthusiastic. Great fun to watch. And he shared a lot of information in every episode. His wife said she was attracted to him the first time she saw him speak at the zoo. She loved the way he viewed things, listening to him talk about what great mothers crocs are.
I tall ya, it was an honah just to sha space with that guy!
All lies and jest
Still a man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest -Paul Simon
Wow, that's a real shame. My daughter and I loved watching his show.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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Caught this on CNN tv this morning. Quite a shock.
Part of me says, it had to catch up with him eventually. Part of me says, too bad, he was a fun person to watch.
Normally, sting rays aren't fatal. But I guess he was messing with a big one, doing things you shouldn't do. It was a big stinger, straight into his heart. On top of it, he was too far away from any help - thirty minutes to rendezvous with a medivac chopper.
Somewhere, someplace, it's on film. Can't wait.
I hope that other nuts that make a living going, look at me, I'm poking a dangerous animal! Start taking a cold hard look at their livlihood.
I always enjoyed watching Irwin. This was a guy who honestly loved what he was doing. And as qUEEAQUEG said, he died doing what he loved. How very sad. Crikee!
Be kind to your web-footed friends, for a duck may be somebody's mother.
working with animals evry Sunday I have to disagree with the majority here. he was a grandstanding idiot. his foolish actions have now cost his children their father. I work with stingrays, small ones, and we are told to be very careful as they can sting you. and the whole issue with him baiting a croc with his kid? he made a circus out of real concerns.
My 5 year old Daniel is sad,he has always loved watching that crazy bloke.My wife and I had always joked that something like this would happen,now that it has it is not funny.
I'm somewhat inclined to agree with sarge... Some people who work with dangerous animals seem to start taking it for granted that things are always going to work out. There's no way for us to know, though, if he died because he wasn't being cautious enough, or if it the ray's movement was beyond his ability to react to. The cautious among us get hurt, too.
I'm saddened to hear of his death. He worked so hard to educate people about animals, and why they need to be protected.
Wayfriend wrote:Somewhere, someplace, it's on film. Can't wait.
Forgive me, but I hope that was meant to be sarcastic...?
"We probably could have saved ourselves, but we were too damned lazy to try very hard... and too damn cheap." - Kurt Vonnegut
"Now if you remember all great paintings have an element of tragedy to them. Uh, for instance if you remember from last week, the unicorn was stuck on the aircraft carrier and couldn't get off. That was very sad. " - Kids in the Hall
Alynna Lis Eachann wrote:He worked so hard to educate people about animals, and why they need to be protected.
And this will end up being his legacy.
And I'm sure that's exactly what he wanted it to be.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
Irwin's theatrics weren't my cup of tea. I saw him as a big circus act, like Sarge said. No offense to any Aussies who saw him as a good promoter of their country. No question about Irwin's passion and concern for wildlife either; I just didn't like his style. I feel very sorry for his wife and kids.
Saw on the news that the family had set up some sort of nature conservation fund that's a multi-million dollar thing now. I'm guessing the children will be following in their father's footsteps.
sgtnull wrote:working with animals evry Sunday I have to disagree with the majority here. he was a grandstanding idiot. his foolish actions have now cost his children their father. I work with stingrays, small ones, and we are told to be very careful as they can sting you. and the whole issue with him baiting a croc with his kid? he made a circus out of real concerns.
I have to agree with the Sergeant this time. Of course I'm saddened by his death (as much as I can be when I didn't know or particularly like the man) but he was indeed a bit of a fool, and his own recklessness caused this. As the Sergeant said, his actions have left his children fatherless. Very irresponsible and selfish, frankly.
Matrixman wrote: No offense to any Aussies who saw him as a good promoter of their country. No question about Irwin's passion and concern for wildlife either; I just didn't like his style.
Actually he had to address several times in Aussie interviews the fact that we didn't like him anywhere near as much as he was liked overseas. He was a completely overblown character to us.
His view was that his fellow Australians just wished that he would take a Valium and calm down. Very true.
He probably had a point when he said that we found him personally embarassing because we saw a part of him in ourselves.
A great interview with him by Andrew Denton was replayed tonight on Aussie TV, and I found myself looking at him in a much more sympathetic light than I had previously.
sgtnull wrote:working with animals evry Sunday I have to disagree with the majority here. he was a grandstanding idiot. his foolish actions have now cost his children their father. I work with stingrays, small ones, and we are told to be very careful as they can sting you. and the whole issue with him baiting a croc with his kid? he made a circus out of real concerns.
Don't be so harsh,despite a bent towards recklessness he was a good soul with a good heart.A circus out of real concerns?Telling children that animals are important and to protect them in a world where people set puppies on fire,I think the world needs more people with his passion.Perhaps he felt the only way he could draw attention to conservation was to be a grandstanding idiot,IMO he was a pretty neat grandstanding idiot.
Last edited by Sunbaneglasses on Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
He was funny and enthusiastic. Great fun to watch. And he shared a lot of information in every episode. His wife said she was attracted to him the first time she saw him speak at the zoo. She loved the way he viewed things, listening to him talk about what great mothers crocs are.
