It's just been reported that Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, was killed by a stingray barb while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef. (Source Sydney Daily Telegraph)
The barb apparently hit Mr Irwin in the chest, piercing his heart. The Stingray barb is coated in toxic material and would ahve had an effect like a bayonet.
I suppose it is an appropriate death for a man who always seemed to have boundless enthusiasm for wildlife . Somehow another form of death would not have been fitting.
13 comments:
I only just heard the news in the last hour myself. I agree with you, that sad as it is, the boundlessly enthusiastic wildlife persona of Irwin, would not have wanted it any other way. And there's the added twist, of a 'crocodile hunter' being got in the end, by a stingray. You couldn't have made it up. I liked him. May he now rest (should that be what he wants; I imagine him jumping about still), in the great Wildlife Reserve in the sky.
MW
I heard about it in the middle of the night here, when it just happened. My kids can't believe it. Crikey!
I wonder what kind of life insurance he had? I'm assuming with his lifestyle that he would be regarded as very high risk.
Here's hoping, if there's an afterlife Molara, that he'll be saying Crikey as he climbs on crocs in Aussie Heaven! SPmehow imagining him dying aged 90 after a fall would not have rung right
I must admit I quite liked Crocodile Hunter but I can imagine that his insuance would not have paid out had he been scratched by tiddles the cat (not tiddles the Panther of course!). If he could get ANY insurance that is!
He'll be missed
I was saddended when I heard this. He was one of my favorite TV zoologists and for some reason I always got a kick out of watching him, probably because I find reptiles very interesting.
He was always fun to watch Dave.. I daresay many of s were secretly hoping this would be the eposode he got his! Seriously it was his enthusiam that made his shows so watchable. So different from David Attenborough (who is so watchable for different reasons)
There was a Fedex commercial with Irwin in the states that predicted his death. In the commercial someone used a carrier other than Fed Ex to ship the anti-venom.
LOL. We never saw that here Beakerkin. I remember an advert for the Crocodile Hunter show that amused me..people were packing an acre of anti venoms, false limbs and the like. Hmm that loses a bit in translation!
The comercial is on the web but I expect it to be pulled shortly. Irwin probably would be the first to point out the irony.
You are right, Jams! He lived life on the edge and it is only fittigg that he died that way as well.
I found the ad on Youtube - amusing. I am sure he would point out the irony.
I am surprised at the extent of the coverage of his death even if some, like Germaine Greer, seem (unsurprisingly) to view him as an oafish Larrikin. Ah well.
I am surprised at the extent of the coverage of his death"- I am glad: it only shows that people aren't completely nuts. The press only reflects that option.
Surprising but definitely good to see, Red
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