Stingray kills "Crocodile Hunter"

[[Syl]]

Note to self: no stingrays.

[Infelice]

Those who took the time to see through his style of "exaggerated ockerism" and listened to more than just the "crikeys" got a glimpse of his true passion for life and for the welfare and preservation of all living creatures.

Regardless of whether his "style" or "enthusiasm" appealed to you or not, the world is a lesser place without this man in it.

[Loredoctor]

Those who took the time to see through his style of "exaggerated ockerism" and listened to more than just the "crikeys" got a glimpse of his true passion for life and for the welfare and preservation of all living creatures.

Regardless of whether his "style" or "enthusiasm" appealed to you or not, the world is a lesser place without this man in it.

Post of the week.

[Avatar]

Agree with Infelice and with the folks who who commented on his grandstanding. He was passionate, which is something that conservation always needs.

He was also a showman, perhaps necessary in todays entertainment-saturated world.

--A

[onewyteduck]

Those who took the time to see through his style of "exaggerated ockerism" and listened to more than just the "crikeys" got a glimpse of his true passion for life and for the welfare and preservation of all living creatures.

Regardless of whether his "style" or "enthusiasm" appealed to you or not, the world is a lesser place without this man in it.

[[Syl]]

Considering recent world reaction, we might want to move this conversation to the Tank.

[sgt.null]

and the lesson learned? don't muck about with dangerous animals? but isn't that what he spent his time doing? i saw vids of him dancing about with snapping crocs. i saw vids of him dangling his baby around dangeorus crocs. i'm not sure how this helps the cause. sorry to anyone who was a fan.

[Sunbaneglasses]

and the lesson learned? don't muck about with dangerous animals? but isn't that what he spent his time doing? i saw vids of him dancing about with snapping crocs. i saw vids of him dangling his baby around dangeorus crocs. i'm not sure how this helps the cause. sorry to anyone who was a fan.

What is the point of this?Have you ever watched the show?Yes,he invited danger,but he was a cool guy and a hero to millions of children and it is sad that he is dead.

[Grand Galactic Inquisitor]

I hear the govt there is now offering an "Official State Funeral", and considering how UN-loved he was by his own people in his own homeland, is this appropriate? I myself would consider it a slap in the face.....

[wayfriend]

Somewhere, someplace, it's on film. Can't wait.

And here we go ...

CNN: Irwin's last moments caught on videotape

BRISBANE, Australia (CNN) -- Videotape of Australian "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin shows him pulling a deadly stingray barb from his chest just before he died.

... Stainton described the footage of his friend dying as "terrible."

[Alynna Lis Eachann]

[duchess of malfi]

That's one thing I hope never makes it on the airwaves.

[sgt.null]

SBG: the point is that he was a twit who messed around in an unsafe way with dangerous animasl and it got him killed. and now a state funeral will lionize him and people will still not get the ultimate message. he was an idiot who got killed. it is not brave or noble to make your kids lose their dad for no good reason. there are plenty of real scientists studying these animals.

[Alynna Lis Eachann]

Yeah, but still, the guy's dead. Give him a break. Judge not and all that...

And I think people will get the message: Even professionals can get hurt or killed by wild animals, so people need to respect them. "Hmm, if the big, brave Aussie couldn't hack it, maybe we should be more aware of how we act in the wild." Honestly, I think there's no more powerful way to get a message across - especially if people believe that Irwin knew what he was doing.

Yes, I agree that he was out there as far as proper handling of animals goes... but some people have a knack for things like that, and the fact that he didn't get eaten by a bleeding crocodile the first time he jumped on one's back speaks to the inherent understanding he had of how those animals think.

Again I say, he's dead. Let him be.

[Cail]

Not only that, but look at the countless people he entertained and educated. Irwin had a huge impact, and I think in the final analysis the world was a better place for having him in it.

[wayfriend]

SBG: the point is that he was a twit who messed around in an unsafe way with dangerous animasl and it got him killed.

Have you read the details, sarge?

"He and the underwater cameraman went out to do some pieces on the reef and coral and stuff good for the kids' show and, unfortunately, he came out over the top of a stingray that was buried in the sand and the barb went up and hit him in the chest."

The really IRONIC thing here is that Irwin wasn't doing anything but swimming around. The stingray was invisible beneath the sand, Irwin happened to swim next to it, and crikey it's all over. There was NO messing around, no UNSAFE behavior.

The guy maybe rolled with crocs and tugged on snakes tails. But he wasn't doing that when he died.

BESIDES

The guy did a lot for Australian wildlife, donated all his money to setting up wildlife reserves. Is it okay to respect that, sarge?

[Loredoctor]

Okay people, some facts. I work in the Queensland Ambulance Service and one of my coworkers read the report. He was simply observing it. That's all. He wasn't antagonising it, and the tail just came up and struck him the chest. If he was swimming near a shark or a crocadile, then I can understand that people might comment he should have been more careful or that he had it coming. But stingrays are not aggressive or dangerous animals (unless really provoked - like anything, really). So to belittle him for his nature is in poor taste. What next? Laughing at police officers who die in the line of duty? "Oh, they were fools for fighting dangerous individuals; serves 'em right!"

Someone died who tried to help the environment. Let him rest in peace.

Cail said it best:

Not only that, but look at the countless people he entertained and educated. Irwin had a huge impact, and I think in the final analysis the world was a better place for having him in it.

[Fist and Faith]

I only hope if I die before sarge does, he doesn't find out.

[Loredoctor]

I hear the govt there is now offering an "Official State Funeral", and considering how UN-loved he was by his own people in his own homeland, is this appropriate? I myself would consider it a slap in the face.....

The saddest thing I ever read this year was in the newspaper yesterday. Irwin said he just didn't understand how his own countrymen were embarrassed by him. "Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone." It's always easy to assassinate a public personality, but how many of us are so noble? Somehow, it's not enough that he was happy and wealthy, had a family that loved him, or that he had a healthy happy family - we have to attack his personality. Poor poor taste.

[Sunbaneglasses]

SBG: the point is that he was a twit who messed around in an unsafe way with dangerous animasl and it got him killed. and now a state funeral will lionize him and people will still not get the ultimate message. he was an idiot who got killed. it is not brave or noble to make your kids lose their dad for no good reason. there are plenty of real scientists studying these animals.

Arrrrrggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!