R.I.P Steve Irwin

[CJ MAC OSX IPOD]

HE MADE a career toying with some of the most aggressive and deadly animals on the planet. But what killed Steve Irwin in the end was quite unexpected, a freakishly unlucky accident involving a creature more prone to timidity than aggression.

Shock and disbelief, across Australia and around the world, greeted news of Irwin's death yesterday morning on a filming expedition off the coast of north Queensland.

Irwin, 44, the khaki-clad Queensland zoo keeper who achieved international celebrity in his television role as the Crocodile Hunter, was being filmed when he was fatally pierced in the chest by a stingray barb at Batt Reef, off Port Douglas.

He had been in the area making a documentary, Ocean's Deadliest, and had taken a few hours out to film some innocuous reef footage for a documentary to be aired by his daughter when the accident occurred.

His American-born wife, Terri, learned of his death while on a holiday with their two children, Bindi and Bob, on Tasmania's Cradle Mountain.

As they boarded a private plane home last night, the young family were a plaintive tableaux of grief; toddler Bob was clutching a pink pig for comfort.

A helicopter was rushed in after the accident but nothing more could be done. Ed O'Loughlin, the attending doctor, said Irwin seemed to have suffered a form of cardiac arrest . "He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest". Death occurred shortly after 11am.

Professional diver Pete West, who was onboard a nearby boat, said he believed Irwin was alive when we was pulled from the sea. "He was filming a stingray and the stingray turned on him and put the barb into his chest," Mr West told Channel Seven. "We raised the alarm while they took him back to his own boat."

Fellow documentary maker Ben Cropp confirmed last night that footage was taken showing Irwin swimming alongside a bullray in less than two metres of water while a cameraman swam in front. Mr Cropp had not seen the footage, but had spoken to a friend on Irwin's vessel, Croc One. "He probably got too close. "Do I think he was irresponsible? No, he was unlucky. I know because I've done it myself, but in my case the ray missed me."

Stingray deaths are rare — just three confirmed in the past 68 years in Australia.

Tributes flowed all afternoon and into the evening, from Prime Minister John Howard to fellow naturalist David Bellamy, for an Australian who talked Strine like no other contemporary personality.

(Source: http://www.theage.com.au)

[Rhisiart]

A great loss.

Ironically I was discussing Steve Irwin and Austin Stevens with my wife and parents yesterday afternoon. We discussed how long their luck would ride out. A terrible irony.

Actually it's a bit wierd how the loss of some people, famous or not, can make you feel very sad yet you have never met them. For me Irwin is one of those people, so was the great British actor John Thaw (he played inspector Morse). It feels like you have lost a member of your extended family.

I'll never forget Irwin describing the crocs in the outback as 'freshies' and salties' with all the enthusiasm of someone who has just won the national lottery.

[nixgeek]

I heard about this tragedy this morning. And the way he went was kind of freaky.....a stingray barb right to the heart (according to news sites). My condolences to his family.

[ora]

Hi folks.

I too will miss Steve and his amazingly ability to capture his enthusiasm, and a lot of scary beatsies, on film. I'm sure Australia zoo will stand as his legacy, and that at least a few more generations will see crocodile hunter repeats as they grow up.

That said, there is a cautionary tale here too. I know another herpetologist, who knew steve, and they predicted his death by an animal some years back, though more likely a croc or snake. While steve truly was amazing on TV, that was his downfall. By paying attention to the camera as much as the critter he put himself at risk. From what i understand, crocs and snakes are fairly predictable once you've been around them a while - as long as you keep paying attention to them! Steve, bless him, didn't do this, though its a large part of the reason he was so engaging on TV. While i dearly hope we have a generation of kids committed to saving these awesome but scary animals (from everything i hear its always been a hell of a lot easier to get money for saving a cuddly panda than a slimy snake), i hope they stay safe and remember we need to respect these animals.

A touch of a down note but i felt it important, and doesn't take away from Steve's incredible achievements. May he rest happily.

PS-m Rhisart - i get your John Thaw/Steve Erwin feeling about Douglas Adams. Felt like he was a friend of mine and found myself tearful when he died. Incidentally, he too was an environmentalist ( I recommend reading his book 'Last Chance to See').