Reports going round Steve Iriwn is dead
Irwin Gone

Hmmmmmm,

I guess that VooDoo thing actually works.

You know what they say. Some days you're the wanker, other days you are the stingray target.

LD

I suppose when the mind is gone, it leads one to do things that ensure the body aint far behind.
The way he lived, it was no freak accident.

I wonder how much insurance his wife had on him? It was just a matter of time given his history of bothering animals whilst mugging for the camera.

Anyway, I can generally ignore ten kilos of excess weight in the butt for each 10 million dollars (US) of net worth. How about you guys?

I bet other guys will start hitting on her at the funeral.

LD

At least he died doing what he loved most - annoying the locals .

Sad for his family but ......

I enjoyed watching his TV over here, so did my children. As such I'm saddened by his demise.
Certainly a better import from you guys than Rolf Harris or Neighbours!!
Gotta give it to him..He lived and died at a fast pace. The world is a poorer place without Steve Irwin.

quote:

The world is a poorer place without Steve Irwin.

That's debatable!

Well it was just a matter of time before he got ''Gotted'' if you stick your neck out with wild animals [no matter how much you claim to love them]another animal lover bites the dust like the Bear lover Treadwell!i always thought a croc would have got him ,he did take alot of foolish risks.

If one wants to get close to dangerous animals, one should own a Rifle in a suitable caliber.

I thought a snake or a croc would have got him.
Saw a bit of one of his shows the other day said look at this footage and how the red bellied black tries to strike him 28 times.

There was only so much of that bloke I could watch. Talk about ADHD gone wild.

He certainly knew how to sell himself.

The world would be a boring place if everyone was the same.

I liked the guy, good on him for "living life".

I don't like the idea he "went early" either, Smudge and it would be boring if we were all the same. Just he was too hyper for me- make you tired just watching him sometimes

Yep, his programmes became too much for me long ago. Too much of the same and too hyper.

They are playing 'obits' on every channel over here (which isnt many if you dont have sky).

Funny how you can play with danger, and then something inocuous knocks you over. Bit like a racing driver getting knocked off his ten speed.

Sad for his family...but he was anti hunting/gun.

44,good calibre.

His demise is certainly no loss for the hunting community. Although it's naturally very sad for his wife and kid.

He was an accident waiting to happen with the way he harassed and hassled animals. Keep in mind that the snakes, crocs etc that repeatedly struck at him did so out of feeling the need to defend themselves. Because they were being annoyed by Irwin.

Just as stingrays don't jab divers unless the diver is acting like a wanker by irritating it. Which is clearly what Irwin did. And he payed for it with his life. So the media calling it a "freak accident" is BS.

HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: World
This article is: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4161471.html

Sept. 4, 2006, 7:19AM

Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin killed by stingray
By BRIAN CASSEY
Associated Press

CAIRNS, Australia - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and conservationist known as the Crocodile Hunter was killed today by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.

Irwin was at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeastern Queensland state, shooting a segment for a series called Ocean's Deadliest' when he swam too close to one of the animals, which have a poisonous bard on their tails, his friend and colleague John Stainton said.

"He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart,'' said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat at the time.

Crew members aboard the boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead when they arrived a short time later, Stainton said.

Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword "Crikey!'' in his television program Crocodile Hunter. First broadcast in Australia in 1992, the program was picked up by the Discovery network, catapulting Irwin to international celebrity.

He rode his image into a feature film, 2002's The Crocodile Hunters: Collision Course and developed the wildlife park that his parents opened, Australia Zoo, into a major tourist attraction.

"The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet,'' Stainton told reporters in Cairns. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!'''

Prime Minister John Howard, who hand-picked Irwin to attend a gala barbecue to honor President Bush when he visited in 2003, said he was "shocked and distressed at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death.''

"It's a huge loss to Australia,'' Howard told reporters. "He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people.''

Irwin, who made a trademark of hovering dangerously close to untethered crocodiles and leaping on their backs, spoke in rapid-fire bursts with a thick Australian accent and was almost never seen without his uniform of khaki shorts and shirt and heavy boots.

His ebullience was infectious and Australian officials sought him out for photo opportunities and to promote Australia internationally.

Irwin's public image was dented, however, in 2004 when he caused an uproar by holding his infant son in one arm while feeding large crocodiles inside a zoo pen. Irwin claimed at the time there was no danger to the child, and authorities declined to charge Irwin with violating safety regulations.

Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation recommended no action be taken against him.

Stingrays have a serrated, toxin-loaded barb, or spine, on the top of their tail. The barb, which can be up to 10 inches long, flexes if a ray is frightened. Stings usually occur to people when they step on or swim too close to a ray and can be excruciatingly painful but are rarely fatal, said University of Queensland marine neuroscientist Shaun Collin.

Collin said he suspected Irwin died because the barb pierced under his ribcage and directly into his heart.

"It was extraordinarily bad luck. It's not easy to get spined by a stingray and to be killed by one is very rare,'' Collin said.

News of Irwin's death spread quickly, and tributes flowed from all quarters of society.

At Australia Zoo at Beerwah, south Queensland, floral tributes were dropped at the entrance, where a huge fake crocodile gapes. Drivers honked their horns as they passed.

"Steve, from all God's creatures, thank you. Rest in peace,'' was written on a card with a bouquet of native flowers.

"We're all very shocked. I don't know what the zoo will do without him. He's done so much for us, the environment and it's a big loss,'' said Paula Kelly, a local resident and volunteer at the zoo, after dropping off a wreath at the gate.

Stainton said Irwin's American-born wife Terri, from Eugene, Ore., had been informed of his death, and had told their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December.

The couple met when she went on vacation in Australia in 1991 and visited Irwin's Australia Zoo; they were married six months later. Sometimes referred to as the Crocodile Huntress, she costarred on her husband's television show and in his 2002 movie.

HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: World
This article is: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4161471.html

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. I enjoyed watching his programs and liked the guy and am sorry he is gone.

Every now and then I actually enjoyed watching him but I did think he took a lot of unnecassary risks. as was said already, at least he died doing what he loved.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

" Freak accident"? No. If one sits in a barber's chair long enough one gets a haircut.
Ten foot tall and bulletproof only when full of alcohol or adrenilan.
Sad for the family.

I feel sympathy for his wife and kids, but to say Irwin was an 'environmentalist' is pure bullshit.

'Sensationalist' and 'opportunist'... yes.

As just one example of his 'environmentalism' I recall a segment on TV where he released a feral piglet (yeah, they're cute).. IIRC, that cops a $22,000 fine here... Red belly black snakes are pretty docile, and to get one to strike, you have to stir them up a lot!!

Makes sensational TV for the ignorant masses though!!

Regardless if liked Irwin or not - it is sad when children lose a parent .

Steve Irwin... Idiot

I am greatly saddened by his death. I loved his shows and I am sure so did millions of kids and adults around the world.If he didn't educate sometimes, he did entertain.Many could get to know about Australian wildlife because of his shows. I loved him for his derring do and whacky sense of humour. It was great to watch him,his wife Terri and their family dog touring across the country. Many will miss him and many more share the sadness of his family and friends. My deepest condolences to his family.May his soul rest in peace.

......he was a avid anti hunter....... he may have loved animals but he did massive damage to hunters reps as well not a huge loss.

I admired Steve Irwin at many levels and was saddened by the news. Brave, exuberent and the best natural snake handler I've ever seen. Death came to him in the unlikeliest of ways.
My condolences to family and friends.

Apparently it's all on film, according to the Austrailian

The ray was 2.5 meters long, weighed about 220 pounds and he was swimming above it in shallow (1.5 to 2 meters) water.

Cameraman in front, Steve above it. No place for the ray to go.

Playing with dangerous animals, thinking he knew how to handle every situation.... he died in his own illusion.

His message was that we should stop hunting animals an start playing with them instead. Not my cup of tea, and not such a good idea....

Poor family, I feel sorry for them.

Another bunny-hugger bites the dust!

If only he had worn sunscreen.....................


It might have helped block out the harmful rays!

I, too, am saddened by his passing ....... may God bless his family. I enjoyed watching his programs.

Shame how many people seem happy the man is dad because he was against huntin.
I loved his shows, and he certainly disproved the myth that snakes are wanton killing machines that aggressively seek and kill humans.

As for harassing wildlife - hunters harass wildlife to the point of death, yet few people here rejoice the death of hunters.

I feel sad that he is dead, and I love to hunt.

There is no middle ground with the anti hunting types,good one is a dead one

I'm sorry but I can't agree with the statements on here celebrating this man's demise. How anyone can find joy in someone's death, especially someone who was the parent of small children, just because he was anti-hunting is beyond me. Those among us on AR who are posting such things ought to be ashamed.

It is always a tragedy when a small child loses a parent. This man had two, ages 2 and 8. I have three little ones myself and my greatest fear next to losing one of them is something happening to my wife or I before they are old enough to fend for themselves. I've never agreed with his views on hunting but I can't feel anything but sympathy for him knowing the heartache that his death will bring to his children. Steve Irwin and his family deserve our prayers not our condemnation.

quote:

I admired Steve Irwin at many levels and was saddened by the news. Brave, exuberent and the best natural snake handler I've ever seen. Death came to him in the unlikeliest of ways.
My condolences to family and friends.

Agreed, I am amazed by some responses here. Yes, in the last few years he was bit of a smarmy git, cheezy numpty and all that, but he opened many couch potatoes eyes to the real value to loving wildlife and behind his disney-esque flamboyance he seemed to have a passion that few in life do...I think it is sad that he passed...anti-hunter or not, he was a person conservation needed to reach people and educate in his own manner...

as for the baby with croc thing...big bloody deal, got to mcDonalds and watch fat ass parents buying chicken nuggets for their kids and tell me thats not dangerous! Every kid I know who grew up in the bush around game and 'danger' is a solid human being!

Nothing personal, but, just because a person is anti-hunting and we wish him death? This may sound a bit extreme as I am as pro-hunting as anyone else. If my gun/hunting rights mean death to all the antis, I would gladly give them up,kind sirs. I don't want to have them on the death of my fellow beings.

Best- Locksley, R.

I, for one, am not glad to see Steve Irwin dead, there are very few people that I would wish that upon, and I offer my condolensces to his family and feel for their loss.

However I am glad to see an end to his influence on Australian attitudes towards wildlife and hunting. And now that he is dead, let us not turn him into something that he wasn't - he was a TV personality, and nothing more.

I am surprised that so many people, from all around the world, were duped by his self-proclaimed 'wildlife warrior' status. A true conservationist would never have treated wildlife in the manner that he did - it was all for show and to bolster his image and his income. And accordingly, he rarely showed wildlife in a true and accurate light.

As has already been mentioned, in this forum, there was one episode where he antagonised a red-bellied black snake to the point where it became very aggressive. Red-bellied black snakes are, in reality, quite timid and will avoid a confrontation with humans. In another episode he had an Egyptian Cobra cornered and, after aggravating the snake for a very long time, said' Crikey, this bloke is aggressive!" Are these realistic and accurate portrayals of these animals? Hell no!

The episode where he released the feral pig into the Australian wilds shows, clearly, that he did not understand (or didn't have any real regard for) the Australian ecology. Feral pigs are a HUGE, HUGE problem in Australia and are a serious threat to many endangered animals and plants. No thinking conservationist would have released a feral pig, nor any other feral animal, and then have the nerve to show the world that he did it! If any other Australian had released a feral pig he/she would have been prosecuted so fast it would have made their head spin.

The episodes from Africa where just a joke. There was one where they crawled up to film a large number of nile crocodiles feeding on a hippo carcass. Steve, the hero, was bragging about how the lives of the camera crew were his responsiblity and that they had to do exactly as he told them to survive. In reality, there would have been an armed National Parks Ranger, a Game Scout of a PH standing by. There is no way that any African government would allow a high-profile, international celebrity to be eaten on film. Imagine what that would have done for their tourism industry? Would they have turned him loose to do whatever he wanted without a chaperon and some local knowledge and advice? Hell No!

Then, armed only with a Dolphin torch he sets off into the African night to find a large maned lion standing nicely for the camera - only problem was that the lion was illuminated by a very powerful spotlight (and not a dolphin torch) and looked to me like he was a little too well kept, too well fed and quite used to the spotlight. Talk about 'Canned' lion hunts!

And what about the great white shark episodes - swimming in his khaki shorts and shirt? Wasn't that just another stunt to bolster his image at the expense of serious wildlife documentary making?

I could go on and on, but will leave it there. As I said at the start, lets not turn him into something that he wasn't. He was a showman who took unnecessary and foolish risks and the odds caught up with him. If there is one message that Steve Irwin left behind it is how NOT to handle, treat and approach wildlife, (and not just stingrays).

Oh, one more point that I would like to make. As an Australian, I was always deeply embarrassed by his exaggerated and ridiculous portrayal of the Aussie Ocker image. I hope that very few of the international members think that all Australians behave that way, because very, very few of us do!

quote:

Originally posted by Irish Paul:

As for harassing wildlife - hunters harass wildlife to the point of death, yet few people here rejoice the death of hunters.

I feel sad that he is dead, and I love to hunt.

Not sure I agree, Do you consider stalking an animal the same thing as the frenzied obscessive harassing behaviour of Mr.Erwin?
Correct me if I am wrong,But I believe most hunters would prefer not to be noticed at all.
Maybe you are trying to tell us that you behave like he does when your out in the field with a rifle,please tell us it isnt so.

Erwin was no different to any other when it came to corporate greed.
The ABC had another fella called the crocodile hunter, an ex military bloke I believe who ran a low key show. Erwin and his group of corporate thugs tried to destroy/steal his simple livelyhood by taking him to court to get the term "crocodile hunter" away from him. He failed cause the court ruled you cannot trademark common terms like that, as much as you cannot trademark electrician or plumber.
To add to that he was a hypocrite, he had much to say about GW BUSHs'lack of environmental ethics(his opinion, not mine),yet when he was invited to Kirribilly House on a select guest list,he sat there like a church mouse in the company of GW. Obviously,he was affraid to open his beak should it tarnish his image in the USA,effecting his marketing machine. Erwin even went on to criticise the Oz politician who challenged Bush when he was invited to addressed the Oz parliament. Erwin said the poli in question should have been taken out the back and given a good flogging. I thought being such the environmentalist himself,he would have congratulated him instead.
Money talks and bullshit walks and walk he did.

I find no pity in my heart for this man, who was a fakir and self-promoter and a shameless wildlife exploiter. All wildlife the world over should celebrate that sting ray's barb to the heart. With friends like Steve, they didn't need enemies.

Ultimately, he proved to be as stupid as I thought he was, and in consequence he died a stupid death. Even stupider than the one I thought would be coming to him, in God's own time.

Still, I do feel pity for those he left behind, and hope they are well provided for.