Crocodile Hunter dead at 44 - Stung by Stingray

Big Orange · Post by **Big Orange** » 2006-09-04 04:27am

The crazy fool getting finally getting killed by dangerous wildlife is certainly darkly comic, but he still left behind a young family and did not seem to be a genuinely bad person per se (but he was obviously a nutcase).

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-09-04 04:29am

Archaic` wrote:Most people, yes. Though there were more than a few people at work who lashed out at me when I replied "Steve Irwin dead? Crikey!" as they told me the news.

My sister works at A HOSPITAL, and people were walking around nattering about some damn fool getting killed instead of doing their duty. Wardies were just going down to the lobby to surf the net about it, instead of working. PFFFFFFT Australians are sickening bogans.

GuppyShark · Post by **GuppyShark** » 2006-09-04 04:37am

As much as some of us may want to forget it, he does personify the... right, damnit, past tense.

He did personify the larrakin aspect of Australian culture.

Of course, I wouldn't (and didn't) stop working just to have a mope.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-09-04 04:39am

Dude, if you say 'ocker' I'll fucking murder you.

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2006-09-04 04:52am

I was always a fan. Damn, that just sucks. He really did promote conservation and lived for his cause.

RIP, Steve-O.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2006-09-04 06:20am

I really liked the guy, he was loads of fun...

I'll miss him

mr friendly guy · Post by **mr friendly guy** » 2006-09-04 07:01am

I admire his conservation efforts even if I didn't particularly enjoy his antics.

And yeah, I also went around saying Crikey when I heard the news.

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2006-09-04 07:23am

OUCH.

Not a way I'd like to die.

Sure, he's pulled one or two irresponsible stunts in his time, but he has apologized his ass off over each one.

This isn't really that surprising, just tragic. He worked with alot of dangerous animals, and he himself said odds are he's going to 'get the horns' one day. I believe he mentioned it on his show once that he fully expected his death to illicit lots of 'I knew he'd get it by a (insert animal here) one day' reactions.

That being said...
The man was very enthusastic about his work, and it was generally positive. If more people where that enthusastic about life and there work, this world would be a much better place.
He provided a comfortable life for his family, helped raised money for the environment and conservation efforts, educated and entertained all at the same time.

That's not something many people can say they have.

Thank you for that, Mr. Irwin.

I feel sorry for this wife and kids over this. At least he's left them a legacy.

And sadly, I'm reminded of an episode of Duckman, when they found an evil conspiracy run by a failed stand up commedian

"Animal Rights Activists killed by a Bear? Brilliant! Go with it!"

If only it'd been enviro-nuts instead of a legitimate (if slightly nuts) enviromentalist.

Braedley · Post by **Braedley** » 2006-09-04 08:38am

He will be missed. RIP Steve.

Post by **Broomstick** » 2006-09-04 08:39am

Darth Wong wrote:
Marko Dash wrote:Does anyone else feel this day should forever be known as Steve Irwin day in Australia?
Why? So Australians can celebrate irresponsible daredevils?

>cough< Right then. Because we ain't got no daredevils on SD.net, no sir...

Yeah, his was the sort of life where there is a real risk of early death. But as pointed out, he did appear cognizant of the risks. I'm a little surprised it was a stingray rather than something like a croc biting bits off him, but it may be that he didn't perceive the 'ray as the same level of threat and got a little careless.

I am getting slightly irritated by the "he died doing something he loved". Uh, yeah, I'm sure he loved his life, but I can't imagine getting impaled underwater and expiring in that manner to be any sort of pleasent. I don't think he "loved" getting skewered like that. I'm reasonably sure that he would have preferred to die in bed of old age.

A shame and a loss. As my Other Half said, I hope he left the family in decent financial shape so at least they don't suffer for money. Losing a family member is hard enough - winding up destitute because of it is even worse.

I don't think I can throw stones at risk-takers, but there's a right way and a wrong way to go about that sort of lifestyle. I don't know enough about Steve Irwin to be able to say which category he falls into IMHO.

Lusankya · Post by **Lusankya** » 2006-09-04 08:49am

My friend had this to say on the matter:

My friend wrote:I see it as irony in motion - he avoids harm from any number of deadly creatures, but manages to get his hand bitten by a wobbegong, the "No, seriously, he's not related. I don't even know him!" of the shark family, and then goes and gets accidentally killed by a stingray that he wasn't even pissing off.

Pick · Post by **Pick** » 2006-09-04 08:59am

This is very sad. I really admired his conservation efforts.

Post by **Edi** » 2006-09-04 09:38am

Broomstick wrote:I'm a little surprised it was a stingray rather than something like a croc biting bits off him, but it may be that he didn't perceive the 'ray as the same level of threat and got a little careless.

I was surprised too. But anybody who considers a stingray harmless has more than one loose screw. I've only seen a small one in an aquarium, but even the small ones can fuck you up. My friend Kaljamaha had a run-in with a smallish stingray once in Nicaragua when he stepped on it (it was hiding under the loose bottom sand) in shallow water. The stingray won that round and he said it hurt like hell having his leg stung. A stingray big enough to actualy impale a man with that stinger is an altogether different class of dangerous.

Though agreed about the lifestyle, I don't know enough about Irwin to comment on that.

Edi

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » 2006-09-04 09:47am

Farewell mate, rest in peace and get some sleep.

"Plays music"

Bladed_Crescent · Post by **Bladed_Crescent** » 2006-09-04 10:05am

Edi wrote: I was surprised too. But anybody who considers a stingray harmless has more than one loose screw. I've only seen a small one in an aquarium, but even the small ones can fuck you up. My friend Kaljamaha had a run-in with a smallish stingray once in Nicaragua when he stepped on it (it was hiding under the loose bottom sand) in shallow water. The stingray won that round and he said it hurt like hell having his leg stung. A stingray big enough to actualy impale a man with that stinger is an altogether different class of dangerous.

According to CNN, the stingray wasn't even part of the show - it was just buried in the sand and nailed him as soon as he swam over it:

Irwin was in the area to film pieces for a show called "Ocean's Deadliest" with Phillippe Cousteau, grandson of Jacques, Irwin's manager and friend John Stainton told CNN's "American Morning." But weather had prevented the crew from doing work for that program, said Stainton, so Irwin decided to do some softer features for a new children's TV show he was doing with his daughter, Bindi.

"He came over the top of a stingray that was buried in the sand, and the barb came up and hit him in the chest," said Stainton.

~

Though stingrays can be threatening, their sting -- usually prompted by self-defense -- is not often fatal. The bull ray that apparently stung Irwin was "a one-in-a-million thing," wildlife documentary maker Ben Cropp told TIME. "I have swum with many rays, and I have only had one do that to me."

Even worse luck; he wasn't even messing with it in the first place, might not have even known it was there if it was buried.

Yeah. Crikey about sums it up.

PainRack · Post by **PainRack** » 2006-09-04 10:17am

RIP.........

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2006-09-04 10:44am

Pick wrote:This is very sad. I really admired his conservation efforts.

he really did do a lot of great work for environmental and conservation causes. Sadly all of that was overshadowed by his larger than life daredevil personality. I really liked the guy... May he rest in peace.

Tasoth · Post by **Tasoth** » 2006-09-04 10:45am

Damn, kinda a shame.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2006-09-04 10:49am

I feel sorry for his family, but frankly he was a fuckwit and I'm not sorry to see him go. The bullshit with his kid and the raw chicken just cinched it for me that he was a fucktard.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-09-04 11:06am

I was shocked to hear this too, especially after remembering the 'rays I saw at the Sealife Centre in Blackpool. They were adorable, but you have to remember how they got the name in the first place. For all intents and purposes, it was likely a quick death, though most stings are in the leg or other limbs since 'rays hide in the sand. That at least means the (very painful necrotising wound) can be treated before it does severe damage to anything vital.

I had always expected a snake or croc to get him. Just the other week I was watching a similar guy in South Africa hunt a black mamba and he lost a chunk of his hand to those things despite being a pro. You really are testing fate. Dammit, he made fun television though and his work to protect endangered species will be remembered.

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » 2006-09-04 11:09am

Animal Planet has his close calls for posterity.

This ought tell people who want to follow in his footsteps what the risks are.

Setesh · Post by **Setesh** » 2006-09-04 11:14am

Edi wrote:
Broomstick wrote:I'm a little surprised it was a stingray rather than something like a croc biting bits off him, but it may be that he didn't perceive the 'ray as the same level of threat and got a little careless.
I was surprised too. But anybody who considers a stingray harmless has more than one loose screw. I've only seen a small one in an aquarium, but even the small ones can fuck you up. My friend Kaljamaha had a run-in with a smallish stingray once in Nicaragua when he stepped on it (it was hiding under the loose bottom sand) in shallow water. The stingray won that round and he said it hurt like hell having his leg stung. A stingray big enough to actualy impale a man with that stinger is an altogether different class of dangerous.

Though agreed about the lifestyle, I don't know enough about Irwin to comment on that.

Edi

The species ray that got him averages about the size of a NYC manhole cover (somewhat wider) and has a stinger nearly a foot long.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2006-09-04 11:16am

Keevan_Colton wrote:I feel sorry for his family, but frankly he was a fuckwit and I'm not sorry to see him go. The bullshit with his kid and the raw chicken just cinched it for me that he was a fucktard.

so a foolish mistake should forever label a man who dedicated his life to conservation and science education for children a fuckwit?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2006-09-04 11:18am

Col. Crackpot wrote:
Keevan_Colton wrote:I feel sorry for his family, but frankly he was a fuckwit and I'm not sorry to see him go. The bullshit with his kid and the raw chicken just cinched it for me that he was a fucktard.
so a foolish mistake should forever label a man who dedicated his life to conservation and science education for children a fuckwit?

What if his kid had died, or been mauled and horribly disfigured for life? Would you still say that? Oops, it was just one mistake? That's the risk he chose to take.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2006-09-04 11:46am

Col. Crackpot wrote:
Keevan_Colton wrote:I feel sorry for his family, but frankly he was a fuckwit and I'm not sorry to see him go. The bullshit with his kid and the raw chicken just cinched it for me that he was a fucktard.
so a foolish mistake should forever label a man who dedicated his life to conservation and science education for children a fuckwit?

Not just one, that was the final straw, it cinched things, sealed the deal, made it bloody clear, etc...

Dangling your fucking kid over crocodiles and handling a baby and raw chicken at the same time counts as simply foolish in your book? It's bloody retarded in mine.

Frankly, I think his kids are probably safer with him dead.