UPDATED: Death of the Crocodile Hunter
My family has thoroughly enjoyed Steve Irwin’s enthusiastic and informative (if often eccentric) wildlife programs.
The Crocodile Hunter’s komodo dragon show, however, has a unique place in our tv pantheon – in that show the intrepid Irwin flees from an angry male komodo dragon and climbs a tree. The komodo dragon continues to prowl, the camera continues to grind, Irwin continues to talk.
Yet I had a problem with the komodo dragon program – a problem similar to the one I have with high-wire circus aerialists doing triple flips without a net. Circus showmanship and pagentry provide grand entertainment, but if the aerialist falters and falls, how do I explain the tragedy to my children? We came for Ringling Brothers and show biz, not Circus Maximus and blood sacrifice.
In the komodo dragon show I thought Irwin crossed the line from skilled showmanship to inexcuseable thrill-seeking – wagered mortality is tantalizing, but adds a queasy, dark twist to a family program. I told my wife “I wonder if this guy (Irwin) has a death wish?”
If my comments on the komodo dragon show seem a bit harsh, understand I’ve watched it a half-dozen times. I’ve gaped with the rest of the circus audience.
But I may never watch it again. Irwin died over the weekend, died while filming at-close-quarters another dangerous species. The poisoned barb of a sting ray put a hole in his heart. The AP (via the Houston Chronicle) provides the details:
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.
A violent, unnecessary death.
Irwin was idiosyncratic, personable, enthusiastic, informed, and physically courageous. That’s a lot to admire. But what drove him to get too close one too many times?
UPDATE: I see the spam filter is acting up again. The filter has been set “low” but 15 of the 18 comments were still “eaten” by the spam filter. The filter, since this post went up, did stop 40 spams. I will try one more setting change and see what happens. Thanks for the comment, but until we installed the spam filter I was remocing (manually) 250 to 300 spams a day. I don;t have time to do that. I regard the spambots as an attack on free speech and intelligent discussion. The spambots are certainly a form of commercial theft.
Austin Bay said: Irwin was idiosyncratic, personable, enthusiastic, informed, and physically courageous While he was all of those, he was also primarily a showman, relying onthe dfrawing power of the possibility of gruesome death to attract an audience. His antics have spawned a whole genre of similar showmen trying to cash in on the craze Irwin invented. You gotta give the guy credit for his dedication to conserving the rare and dangerous and finally, for his manner of exit. Has there ever been anyone in the history of the race to go out with a stingray barb in his heart?
Comment by Eric G. Taylor — 9/4/2006 @ 8:14 am
I, too, am sad to see a good man pass before his time. However, I’ve got to admit that my first thoughts, when I heard of the tragedy, were to wonder just what he was doing with the stingray that compelled it to a defensive reaction. Some people simply must exist on the edge of life and death. Some of those have even made a successful career out of it. Even fewer have made that an entertainment career. The wonder of it all is that it’s a symbiotic relationship, however perverse that sounds. So many of us, while we cannot ourselves walk the edge, love to watch someone who does. It has always been and shall always be. The mass media is accused of creating a vicarious thrill industry, but they are only selling something that has always been in demand. The Crocodile Hunter made a career of doing what he loved, and was able to share a bit of that life with us. For the wholesome entertainment he provided, we are eternally grateful. It appears that chance finally caught up with him in a very tragic way, and we shall mourn his passing. Just my $.02 DaveK
Comment by DaveK — 9/4/2006 @ 8:26 am
People do not realize that the laws of probability are as iron clad as any others. You take risks,like gambling or unprotected sex or any other, and they add up in a binomial sequence. Sooner or later, you will lose. There is no escaping it.
Comment by Reid — 9/4/2006 @ 8:26 am
I think he was just doing what he wanted to do, being himself, and not really thinking too much about the implications or the “message” he was sending - in a good way, he was a completely authentic and real character, which was always why I imagined he was so successful in the US television market, among so many phonies….Of course it also meant that sometimes he said or did things that we are not used to in these hyper sanitised times. I posted some thoughts on this, and excerpts and link to a wonderful interview, if anyone is interested, check it out…
Comment by Tom Gara — 9/4/2006 @ 8:30 am
Was’nt a death wish IMHO. Rather a desire for the spotlight. Watch as a thousand wanabees rush in to fill the void ll
Comment by bendover — 9/4/2006 @ 8:31 am
I’m not sure how I’m going to explain this to my kids, who have all of his DVDs.
Comment by Lou Minatti — 9/4/2006 @ 8:31 am
If Irwin had died during the Komodo dragon episode it would not have been aired and so there would have been nothing to explain to your children. Your argument is without merit. Â
Comment by David Young — 9/4/2006 @ 8:35 am
Ironically, it sounds like this was one of the least dangerous animals he’d encountered–just a freak accident. Freak accidents can, of course, fell anybody. But they’re more likely to get you when you put yourself in that position time and time again.
Comment by hieronymous — 9/4/2006 @ 8:36 am
Perhaps the fact that he had been successful being so close so many times. Each of us must make a judgment about what is “too close”. Steve Irwin became rich and famous precisely because his judgment was so different from ours. And there was little in his own experience before this incident to make him question his judgment. The characteristic of letting your judgment be colored by your own experience is an individual difference variable - some of us have more of it and some of us have less, but the human race would be much the poorer without it. And, of course, the reason that he was famous is that he was also a storyteller, and the reason stories are told is for those of us who let our judgment about what to do be influenced by the experience of others. (Granted, most of us know not to get near deadly stingrays, but that’s only this case; the point about needing storytellers is general.)  ED NOTE: Superb comment. Thank you.
Comment by Patrick Brown — 9/4/2006 @ 8:38 am
I agree entirely. If you live your life on the edge on a continuous basis, eventually you are going to fall off. I do feel sorry for the young family that he leaves behind.
Comment by George R. — 9/4/2006 @ 8:39 am
“A violent, unnecessary death. Irwin was idiosyncratic, personable, enthusiastic, informed, and physically courageous. That’s a lot to admire. But what drove him to get too close one too many times?” For some, the thrill of the adventure perhaps is more than worth the price. Not for me certainly, but I would not really want Mr.Irwin to volunteer opinions on my lack of oomph. I don’t feel very comfortable critiquing his choices. Whatever drove him, it was his choice alone. Without his inner ‘pressures’, the rest of us would never have been able to get so up close and personal with the creatures he filmed. Granted it was for us, vicariously up close and personal but it was Irwin who made it possible. How do you know when you have finally gone that “bridge too far”? You don’t. Not until you on actually on it. When you find meaning and pleasure in the sheer action of discovering new bridges, the end is pretty much written. I’m sure he knew that. Thanks Steve. Sorry you are gone.
Comment by dougf — 9/4/2006 @ 8:45 am
Irwin was a dangerous megalomaniac. I gave up watching him years ago. It does not surprise me that he was done in by one of Mother Nature’s dangerous critters as he always pushed the limits. I always feared that his actions would lead to the death or serious injury of some child emulating his irresponsible behavior.
Comment by not4me — 9/4/2006 @ 8:47 am
No different than your average rock or mountain climber, Aircraft carrier jet pilot, Nascar, F1 car racer.
Comment by Don — 9/4/2006 @ 9:00 am
I strongly agree. There’s a big difference between being needlessly reckless (Steve Irwin) and merely appearing needlessly reckless (Jack Hanna). Irwin was reckless, playing Russian Roulette with an automatic.
Comment by Laurence Simon — 9/4/2006 @ 9:02 am
I agree, he went too far and it wasn’t the first time. That said, I have a basic issue with this type of show. The shows leave the impression that dangerous animals aren’t really that dangerous after all, that all it takes is guts and a trick or two and they can be approached with impunity and tricked into posing for the camera. Viewers with limited experience are tempted to think that’s how it really is. Those of us who have better grip on our own mortality tend to watch the shenanigans and say “Well, he got away with it…this time.”. The inevitable disaster seems to form a backdrop for everything that happens and you find yourself wondering, “Doesn’t anybody get it? Can’t they see where this is leading?”. It’s a bit like our current standoff with the islamists in that regard. BTW, admin, are you aware that the blue sidebar on the right blocks about a third of the comment write-in area? Bob
Comment by Bob Young — 9/4/2006 @ 9:08 am
“But what drove him to get too close one too many times?” “If my comments on the komodo dragon show seem a bit harsh, understand I’ve watched it a half-dozen times. I’ve gaped with the rest of the circus audience.” You may well have answered your own question. There is a part of the human race that needs adulation and notoriety and will do anything to get it. That may or may not have been Steve; he equally well have been an adrenalin junkie, too.
Comment by nerdbert — 9/4/2006 @ 9:10 am
I guess we could ask similar questions if a race car driver or mountain climber died. If he had been more prudent he wouldn’t have been the Crocodile Hunter. I think what counts is that he was a good man, lived a full life, and brought a small measure of happiness and learning to many millions. I think he did quite well with his life, a shame it wasn’t longer, may he rest in peace. ED NOTE: We do regret his passing. He was a remarkably talented person. Thanks for the comment.
Comment by Stevely — 9/4/2006 @ 9:11 am
From what I have heard from experienced divers, the stingray barb is painful and unpleasant but rarely dangerous. Had it penetrated his calf, it wouldn’t even have been newsworthy. Nor would his demise in a traffic accident, had he gone out that way. He was simply unlucky, doing something he apparently enjoyed very much. I hope I can make my exit as well. ED NOTE: Irwin definitely enjoyed what he did– that’s the enthusiasm I admire. You may well be right, that he in this particular case he was unlucky. But he did tempt death. Thanks for the comment.
Comment by Doug Collins — 9/4/2006 @ 9:13 am
Knowing Steve, this is probably just the way he wanted to go- either this or being smothered to death by an aardvark.
Comment by jimboster — 9/4/2006 @ 9:16 am
“But what drove him to get too close one too many times?” The same thing that drove Grizzly Man: a fatal belief in the goodness of nature.
Comment by PJ — 9/4/2006 @ 9:17 am
Austin Bay is a top thinker and I’d read this site daily if only I could figure out a way to see the right-side of the text block, which despite my best efforts is always underneath the blog-roll/ad graphic block. Using context, with effort one can still read the content, but a goodly percentage–around 10% roughly, are not to be had by any means i can devise. Just thought I’d mention it– Great work, except for that small complaint. ED NOTE: Believe it or not, Mr. Larsen, we’ve worked on it. I intend to finance a site re-do in November or December. If someone wants to hit the paypal tip jar to help with that expense. please do so. I regret the inconvenience– some people don’t experience the collapsed screen. I also regret the spam filter problems. Thanks for the note.
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 9/4/2006 @ 9:18 am
Stingrays aren’t very dangerous - they are very docile and passive, unless you swim right above one. It would appear Steve Irwin didn’t check the basic safety facts about stingrays. Deaths with stingrays are very rare and usually occur the same way as Irwin’s (via a barb to the chest), though normally not in the process of trying to get filmed wrestling one. It should be noted that in 2004 Irwin was investigated by Queensland child protection authorities for having his toddler in a cage while feeding a crocodile, as part of a live show. At the time he declared that everything was under total control and he had never exposed his child to any risk. Presumably the same “total control” which got him killed by one of Australia’s least dangerous “dangerous” animals. I wonder if the posts on this blog would be quite as positive about this reckless idiot if his toddler had been eaten by a crocodile in a live show 2 years ago…? ED NOTE: Thanks for the comment. I remember reading about the 2004 incident.
Comment by sg — 9/4/2006 @ 9:20 am
The thing is that stingrays are gentle enough the a marina I went to last year has “sting ray swims” where you feed them fish and can pet them while they swim on top of you. What they told us is that they ONLY attack in defense, mainly if you happen to step on one. I wonder if he really simply “swam too close” or was messing with it to make it sting.
Comment by iblinked — 9/4/2006 @ 9:27 am
#17 gets it right. Why does anyone do anything that’s inherently dangerous? Why do people become soldiers, or firemen? Don’t they know they are risking their lives? Of course, but a life is not truly lived if one merely exercises the lowest odds at every point. Why ask that pretty girl out, chances are she’ll say no, let’s play it safe. Why take any path other than the one of least resistance? Everyone here walks to work rather than risk the drive, right? Risk/reward folks. Do you think Steve would trade his life for any of yours? The man lived his life in full, and he didn’t do it by hanging around stuffed animals. No, he hung around the real ones. He could have been a Nascar driver, or a professional boxer, or a firefighter, or enlisted in the Australian SAS. All high risk, all high reward. Why does anyone bother to join NASA? What’s the chances of coming out alive out of the shuttle program, 50/50 these days? It sure is easy to live Steve’s life for him isn’t it… Crikey…
Comment by MEC2 — 9/4/2006 @ 9:28 am
How to explain it my childlren. Dogs that chase cars get killed and people who play with dangerous animals get killed. Corpus Christi’s aquarium has a sting ray tank so that you can pet them. Hum….can you de-sting a stingray.
Comment by PJ — 9/4/2006 @ 9:33 am
Bob Young Use a browser that lets you increase the font size, like FireFox, and increase your screen resolution to it’s maximum. Increase the font size until ypu can comfortably read te text
Comment by not4me — 9/4/2006 @ 9:41 am
I’m with those who say that Steve knew the risks he ran, knew them much better than the rest of us, and in the process helped us understand those terrifying creatures much better. We all take risks to various degrees (my vice to to ride my motorcycle without a helmet - and I’m an actuary). Nothing worse than seeing small people point fingers and say that they told you so. Please keep your judgements to yourself - his risk taking did not affect you. And if you have difficulty explaining some of these risks to your children, then don’t let them watch the show. And if you’ll perhaps permit me being a little judgmental I pity your children being brought up in a avoid-risk-at-all-costs home.
Comment by gazzer — 9/4/2006 @ 9:43 am
Irwin took the risks he did because it was what he needed to do to reach an audience. He did what he did the same way Martha Stewart sacrificed time with her family, the same way dancers sacrifice their bodies. It was a means to an end, and it was something he could do (he felt) better than others doing it. His style mirrored Houdini’s - laughing in the face of death. (And like Harry, Steve died before his time – a victim, perhaps, of believing his own press clippings.) Let’s get honest here - you would not have heard of him had he NOT walked so close to the edge, and you kept coming back for more the same way audiences paid more attention to a trapese audience who (as the ringmaster would loudly announce) was ‘working without a net’. Why is it his responsibility not to do what he did, and not yours to change the channel? “If my comments on the komodo dragon show seem a bit harsh, understand I’ve watched it a half-dozen times.” If you found it distasteful, what’s the REAL reason you kept watchiing it? Boxers (watch Ali sometime), Nascar drivers, bullfighters, cliff divers, (the early) astronauts – hell, pro football players (takes ten years off your life), and many others – risk their health and lives for the public’s adoration (and a means to make a living). If Steve was ‘insane’ and his antics banned from public view for the sake of your family, well, all I can say is you’re going to have a lot of free entertainment time to fill if you apply this standard evenly and fairly. Stop pretending Irwin ‘invented’ dangerous entertainment, it’s been around since the first caveman discovered he’d be made tribe leader by courting death in some way.
Comment by Mister Snitch! — 9/4/2006 @ 9:47 am
Sad but karma. When he put his infant child down by the croc he foreshadowed his own demise. The attitude then and the stingray spine now are related. Like the California bozo eaten by the bears in Alaska, some folks are too clever by half.
Comment by George Dixon — 9/4/2006 @ 9:49 am
Just one last thought, please. Did Steve Irwin kill Steve Irwin, or was it the millions of TV viewers clamoring for him to get closer and closer to the edge? When the next death-defying artist comes along, when you see an HBO boxing special come on, when you’re invited to see the running of the bulls, try and remember that you have the power to save lives (if that’s your concern) by refusing to participate. Don’t gawp at it and then complain about the risks that idiot took.
Comment by Mister Snitch! — 9/4/2006 @ 9:52 am
I’m saddened by Mr. Irwin’s passing, and for his family. There is now at least one child that will grow up without “Daddy”, and that is a shame. Is the pursuit of “being yourself” or “authentic” or a megalomaniac thrill seeker - or whatever did drive Steve Irwin to take such risks - worth the cost of an orphaned child? Bright lights like Irwin and others who “really live life” by taking unnecessary risks need to be measured against the folks outside the Panera Bread where I write this. Moms and dads who take their kids out for breakfast, enjoy time together, and live an otherwise boring life. If you feel the urge to compare yourself to the thrill seekers, pause and weigh the value of your contribution to your family.
Comment by Bruce Lampley — 9/4/2006 @ 9:54 am
The moralizing is making me tired. It was a freak accident.
Comment by Tomi — 9/4/2006 @ 10:03 am
The poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay is confirmed once again: “He burned the candle at both ends, It did not last the night. But while it burned, my foes and friends, It gave a lovely light.”
Comment by Dave Compton — 9/4/2006 @ 10:06 am
“…[the risks] add up in a binomial sequence.” This is a common misconception. The probability of something going wrong each time is determined only by that time, not how many times you’ve run the risk before. If you flip ten heads in a row, the next flip still has a one in two chance of being heads, no more, no less. I think Irwin knew this, and reasoned that his abilities gave him a better than average chance of surviving anything he risked. It’s interesting that his death came in the water, probably the environment in which humans are least capable.
Comment by Josh — 9/4/2006 @ 10:07 am
I’m really sad to hear of this. I did think he was pushing the envelope, and I thought him having the baby in the croc pen with him was utter stupidity. He thought he was in total control, but I always wondered, ‘but what if you slipped and fell?” Although Jack Hanna was too much of a gentleman to say it out loud on Larry King Live when asked, he also thought Irwin was pushing his luck. He didn’t want to be critical of Steve though. He just kept saying, “You have to bear in mind that these are wild animals”–or something to that effect. I’m paraphrasing. I did like the guy though and thought he would someday be done in my his penchant for reckless pursuit of very dangerous animals. I’m so sorry for Terri and the kids.
Comment by T.G. Scott — 9/4/2006 @ 10:10 am
No doubt he has put himself in dangerous situations time and again but unfortunately this comment from cnn.com leads me to believe that his death was no more related to his dangerous vocation than any other swimmer in the ocean. What I see are throngs of people rushing to judge him. “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.
Comment by Duane — 9/4/2006 @ 10:15 am
My 10-year-old son is a big fan of the show. I told him about the death this morning. He was shocked, of course, but it allowed the opportunity to discuss life and death for a moment. We agreed we hope we spend our lives doing something we love, as Steve did, and if we die doing it, then so be it. We would rather die embracing life than live to be 100 as a couch potato. Did he take unnecessary risks? Probably. Is his death a “tragedy”? Less so than the dreary uneventful lives of most who play it safe all the time. Enough soapbox. Thanks, Steve, for the memories. God bless your family. You will be missed.
Comment by Greg — 9/4/2006 @ 10:20 am
Bob and Ray had a nice komodo dragon bit, that you’d think would have been the final word on the matter. I never heard of Steve Irwin. I guess no TV is all it takes. Surely his friends and family miss him, but I don’t get the celebrity mourning. 100,000 people die every day. Get a grip.
Comment by Ron Hardin — 9/4/2006 @ 10:26 am
It certainly is sad, but I wasn’t surprised that he got killed by some kind of animal–though I figured it would be something bigger and scarier. Also, I never really considered him much of a naturalist. I quit watching him years ago, because I realized he was much more interested in showing off than in teaching people about the animals. He was constantly getting too close or manhandling the critters, getting them all stressed out, just so he could prove how brave he was. Not only did I think he was taking foolish risks, I thought he was rather callous in the way he treated the animals. I always preferred to watch Jeff Corwin, who is a scientist, rather than a daredevil. He also handles the animals, but is more gentle than Irwin was and does more to teach the audience about them. I like the fact that he gets just as excited when he sees something rare that isn’t dangerous as when he sees something that is. Granted, Irwin did a lot for conservation. I just wish he’d been a little more considerate of the individual animals, not to mention his own life, and his child’s life.
Comment by Charles — 9/4/2006 @ 10:30 am
Athough I cannot say for certain, in my heart I feel Steve Irwin would have been the Crocodile Hunter whether he had a TV show or not. I don’t believe he was “acting” in the traditional sense. Rather, I think he was one of those rare and wonderful people whose enthusiasm generates such joy and even incredulity — they love what they do so damn much that you cannot help but love it as well. That is the kind of person that makes an impact on other lives. I wonder how many people who condem Steve for his recklessness and risk-taking have driven after a few beers, or smoke cigarettes, or are more than a few pounds overweight, or who don’t believe in wearing seatbelts, or any other the other things people do on a daily basis that we all know increase the chance of their premature departure. I envy Steve Irwin. I envy him in the same way I envy my father, who died on a fishing trip in Canada, doing the thing he loved best in the world, surrounded by his loved ones. To die a painless death doing the thing you love most in the world is the next best thing to not dying at all. If your kids are old enough to understand the concept of death, that is what I would teach them. Like Steve, none of us know where that stingray is lying hidden in the sand. If we met it today, would we be rembered as fondly?
Comment by Bill Whittle — 9/4/2006 @ 10:34 am
@#34- “…[the risks] add up in a binomial sequence.†This is a common misconception… The popular misconception is that all risks are like Russian Roulette, which is actually a special case. Say that skydiving has a 1-in-10,000 chance of death or serious injury in any particular jump. A person making his 5000th jump is not taking a greater risk than the person making his tenth. However, if we take the population of people who have made 5,000 jumps, and the population that have made ten, the former group will exhibit a higher rate of casualties from skydiving. I suspect that you could easily divide the population into risk-averse or non-averse based on whether they look at an activity from the perspective of “how likely am I to get killed riding the motorcycle this afternoon” versus “sooner or later you’ll die riding that thing.”
Comment by The Snob — 9/4/2006 @ 10:40 am
Josh wrote: “This is a common misconception. The probability of something going wrong each time is determined only by that time, not how many times you’ve run the risk before. If you flip ten heads in a row, the next flip still has a one in two chance of being heads, no more, no less.” Yes, but what the previous person was calculating was not the chance of getting heads in a single flip, but the chance of not rolling tails over an ever increasing number of flips. The odds of rolling heads on the tenth try is still 1/2, but the odds that one will not roll tails in ten flips is 1/2^10. I agree that one cannot live a good life without taking some risks. Still, Irwin increased his risks beyond necessity simply to provide people with a vicarious thrill. He wasn’t doing anything that hasn’t been done for centuries, but that doesn’t make it a good way to live. It’s always been a recipe for dying young. “We who are about to die salute you.” He could have been entertaining without running so many risks. People would have still liked him for his enthusiastic personality.
Comment by Ardsgaine — 9/4/2006 @ 10:46 am
A World without the Crocodile Hunter… It’s one of those things that’s shocking to hear, and yet we all saw it coming. It kind of reminds me of the early demise of Chris Farley in that way. It’s funny how, even though some people will exhibit the most insane behavior possible, we still …
Trackback by jaceonline — 9/4/2006 @ 10:56 am
The comments on thrill-seeking might have more weight if he had actually died from an encounter with a dangerous animal. What he died of was a freak accident. Stingrays are almost never lethal, and there are plenty of places where regular, non-thrill-seeking types can go to actually dive with them. It’s like Michael Schumacher dying on a go-kart. Â ED NOTE: An interesting thought, and an interesting comparison. Thanks.
Comment by Laurie K — 9/4/2006 @ 11:22 am
(Quickie re #21, re site expenses, will-do, today, just have to find my pay-pal code, which to hide from house teenagers i wrote down on page whazzis of one of those books over there.)
Comment by Buddy Larsen — 9/4/2006 @ 11:35 am
A violent, unnecessary death. Well, aren’t they all? Everyone who has ever been killed doing anything died “a violent, unnecessary death.” It wasn’t necessary to buy groceries - you could have grown the food yourself - but you had to go out to the grocery store, and you were killed by a drunken driver. What a violent, unnecessary death. We could all sit at home in padded rooms wearing body armor and helmets. Getting off the couch is taking a risk. Going out the door is taking a risk. Getting in the car is taking a risk. I absolutely refuse to cluck my tongue over Irwin’s death and mutter that he died an unnecessary death. He was an intelligent man who knew the risks, and lived one hell of a life. All I hear from you clowns is envy. At little Shakespeare, for you folks: He that outlives this day, and comes safe home, Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named, And rouse him at the name of Crispian. He that shall live this day, and see old age, Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours, And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian.’ Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’ Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, But he’ll remember, with advantages, What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, Familiar in his mouth as household words — Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester — Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered — We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Comment by AK — 9/4/2006 @ 11:40 am
Thank you, Bill Whittle.
Comment by Maggie45 — 9/4/2006 @ 12:08 pm
Steve Irwin went out doing what he wanted to do. Some never get the chance to do what they want even once, he was on a roll, he did it all the time. I never knew his name but his zany face was unforgetable, kissing snakes, wrestling crocodiles and getting chased by dragons, what more do you want out of life, everyone dies, feel sorry for the man that’s never lived.
Comment by Ron Norman — 9/4/2006 @ 12:20 pm
Let me ask this question, please. Why is it that the critics and cynics come out of the woodwork with their “I told you so” attitudes upon the untimely, unfortunate death of this colorful, enthusiastic, big-hearted, nature loving man? One possible answer is that he made all of those people aware of their own lack of skill and instinct and their general ignorance when it comes to the way things work in the “wild” of nature as it really exists. For far too many people, Steve’s show was as close as they will ever get to experiencing nature in all its beauty and danger. People forget that the wilderness contains wildness and danger, in addition to beauty and peace. In the modern world, political correctness now extends even into nature shows, where producers and directors must spare the uninitiated from too much blood, meanness or just bad luck. Yet, the more we allow this to happen, the further we get from really understanding nature. Steve understood nature, in all its danger and beauty. He understood because he lived in and loved it and relished and cherised it. And through him, we were all given a small window into what nature is really like. To all you who must diminish this truly larger than life character, whose gift to us was mostly authenticity and passion, do you find the same need to do so when you read about one of Disney’s customers dying while riding their roller coaster (it happened recently). The same probabilities and all that BS apply, but do you talk about those people’s death wishes and megalomania? Of course not, because you ride roller coasters without ever thinking about the probabilities of death. You even pay for the privilege of the thrill! So rather than deny who he was, why not simply be thankful for Steve Irwin and others who allow us to share their intense desire to live authentically and share their experiences without “correcting” them to satisfy the modern worlds penchant for blandness and hypocrisy.
Comment by Jim — 9/4/2006 @ 12:26 pm
David Young said “If Irwin had died during the Komodo dragon episode it would not have been aired and so there would have been nothing to explain to your children. Your argument is without merit.” Speaking on the basis of my 32 years in television, had Irwin died while shooting the Komodo dragon episode, not only would the show have aired, it would have been hyped to a level that would have embarrassed P.T. Barnum and been number one in its time slot by a huge margin. Two broadcasting mottos apply here: 1) If it bleeds, it leads (priority in TV news coverage) 2) Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the viewing audience (basic programming strategy) Programming a television channel is much like drug dealing: success lies in giving the customer what they shouldn’t want.
Comment by XiangDo — 9/4/2006 @ 12:32 pm
I guess the crew didn’t use FedEx to get the anti-poision to the site, again. (Hint: click URL/URI above)
Comment by Neo — 9/4/2006 @ 12:35 pm
yes, you can de-barb a stingray with scissors. and the ones you pet at sea world are indeed de-barbed. although it seems steve was just unfortunate in this incident, the easy lesson in this is that venemous creatures are very dangerous to some people, and not in freak accidents. the human immune system response to toxins like this, or bee stings, or spider bites, is highly individual. (even to some food protiens like the peanut allergy my son has). anaphylactic shock kills lots of folks all around the world. venemous creatures like stingrays may not be highly dangerous to all, but they will kill a subset of the folks they sting due to this random reaction. be careful with stuff that stings, the systemic response can be a lot more dangerous than big teeth when out in the boonies and far from care.
Comment by Steve Darby — 9/4/2006 @ 12:39 pm
Honestly, I get the feeling he would act the same way even if he didn’t have a show. Some people just like to do crazy risky things, and his thing was messing with dangerous animals. The worst, for me, was the way he handled poisonous snakes. Grabbing a snake by the tail and not securing their head is just the weirdest technique I’ve ever seen in my life. I always figured a snake would get him. This just seems like a weird freak accident.
Comment by silvermine — 9/4/2006 @ 12:49 pm
“A violent, unnecessary death” Not really. This was not a death caused by violence, it was very simply an accident. As for “unnecessary”, that seems to imply he was doing something foolhardy, reckless and intentionally dangerous. None of that is the case. He was snorkeling in shallow water, with a camera man, and a common sea creature had a startled reaction that injured him. Has he been reckless in the past ? Possibly so, but most of us have done that at times. Was he being reckless or foolish at this time- apparently not. We cannot all live our lives in the safety of our mothers arms, and most of us do not want to. We drive cars, ride bikes, cross streets, and other risky behaviour every day, thinking we can control the risk and avoid danger. Most of the time we are correct, but sometimes, as the saying goes, “caca happens”.
Comment by Gray One — 9/4/2006 @ 12:49 pm
It’s very bad form to speak ill of the dead on the day they die. Good people generally let the man be mourned before speaking ill of him.
Comment by Mike Rentner — 9/4/2006 @ 12:56 pm
[…] Was he a bit of a nut? Well, yes. So what? Steve paid the ultimate price but in doing so he did a lot of good and taught a lot of children about nature, and that will be his legacy. […]
Pingback by Steve Irwin at Haibane.info — 9/4/2006 @ 1:04 pm
Am I the only one who thinks the whole story isn’t being told here? I’ve done a lot of diving in areas where stingrays are plentiful, and I can tell you that they are painfully shy. At the first sign of disturbance, they flee. They are also masters of camoflage, however, and usually sit on the bottom under a thin layer of sand that they wiggle themselves beneath. About the only people who ever get stung by them are swimmers or waders who step on them. In order to get a barb INTO THE HEART I can’t think of any scenario other than one that had Irvin holding onto the thing or swimming mere inches above it. In either case, extremely foolhardy, but not “A violent, unnecessary death.” Just a stupid one. “Heeah we have a huuuge stingray! Aw, look at that beau-Ach!…” I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts I got that right.
Comment by Hucbald — 9/4/2006 @ 1:12 pm
Life IS a risk. It is a terminal disease with a zero chance of survival. There is no way to live life without risk … the most dangerous place in the world is one we all visit several times a day, the bathrooms in our homes. We get in our cars and drive … for those of us under the age of 50, that poses the greatest risk to our lives of all. We eat fatty foods, smoke, drink to much, drive too fast … and just what does that contribute to the world? At least Steve Irwin risked all for a purpose … to bring greater awareness to the beauty of God’s greatest creatures, and the need to respect and preserve their place in our world. I believe Steve Irwin lived this philosophy: “Life’s journey is not about walking sedately into your grave in a perfectly preserved body. Rather you should come in sliding sideways to the pearly gates, completely skinned up, bruised, scarred and stained, in a worn out body, with a martini in one hand and a cigar in the other, shouting “Holy crap! What a ride!!!”
Comment by LissaKay — 9/4/2006 @ 1:20 pm
Well said, Austin.
Comment by Robin Roberts — 9/4/2006 @ 1:48 pm
Steve Irwin was a grand man living a grand life. The modern-day cynically discredited word ’swashbuckler’ comes to mind. And doesn’t that drive the tiny moralists with peachpit hearts into a spitting hissing tizzy. ED NOTE: Swashbuckler is a good word. THe NY Times may use it as a pejorative, but I don’t.
Comment by PCR — 9/4/2006 @ 2:09 pm
I think there’s probably a middle ground between living in a padded cell and playing tag with crocodiles. I’m not condemning Irwin, though. By all means, live the life you want to live. So long as you don’t put other people at risk, or ask them to pick up your hospital bills, that’s your right. As far as this being a freak accident, I only saw a few of his shows, but I saw enough to be sure that there was no way he was going to do an episode on sting rays without deliberately getting too close to them and triggering their defense mechanisms. However you want to analyze his psychological motivations, he wasn’t going to produce a program that just showed them swimming along peacefully or hiding in the sand, even if that’s how they spend 99% of their time. I still feel bad for him and his family, though, and I agree that the world will miss his odd mixture of nuttiness and guts.
Comment by Ardsgaine — 9/4/2006 @ 2:11 pm
Obviously, Steve possessed that “thrill-seeking” gene that made him crave such adventures. In other words, his thrill-seeking was literally his nature and I don’t think there is any reason to impune him for that. Steve Irwin made the best of nature’s dice role and enriched the lives of many whose probable nature it was to feel compelled to watch him. More power to him and the symbiotic relationship he had with this adoring public! Rest in peace, Steve. (As to the previous comment by LissaKay, I can certainly imagine Steve getting to the Pearly Gates in entirely that manner! Thanks, LissaKay, for giving me a good laugh and providing an entertaining-to-me perspective on the whole subject.)
Comment by Nicole Tedesco — 9/4/2006 @ 2:17 pm
“Life IS a risk. It is a terminal disease with a zero chance of survival.” Well, I don’t know about seeing life as a disease. But it is true that life leads to death in 100% of the cases in which it’s found, to my knowledge. I guess the question is – why do otherwise ‘rational’ human beings spend their days pretending otherwise?
Comment by Mister Snitch! — 9/4/2006 @ 2:43 pm
I’m sorry, but all of you who think Irwin was some sort of thrill-seeker with a death wish simply don’t know anything about the man. First of all, he started out working with crocodiles in order to protect HUMANS from the crocs, and he believed both wildlife and nature could coexist so he captured the crocs rather than kill them. Irwin constantly mentioned how dangerous each animal he encountered was, and his program was intended to be informative in that respect. For every idiot who watched his show and thought “cool, I want to do that” there were probably thousands more who learned about what animals to avoid and how to properly interact with nature for the benefit of all (and on that point, Irwin’s message was always, stay away and don’t touch). Much like JK Rowling has been credited with breathing new life in childrens reading material, it can be said that Irwin is probably more responsible for kids learning about nature, animals, and conservation than anyone else on the planet. Amazingly, Irwin was able to raise awareness without the smug PETA “animals are better than humans and we suck” message. What he did was dangerous, but he did it for ratings which meant big bucks for his zoo and conservation charities. He was not some thrill seeker.
Comment by crocfan — 9/4/2006 @ 3:21 pm
Steve Irwin lived his life to his fullest. He had a passion for wildlife and nature that will be difficult for anyone to match. He managed to have a larger than life persona that drew in people from all different backgrounds. Whatever the reason a person had for watching, his shows educated and taught people about animals that they would never encounter. If you think for one second he didn’t respect the animals and their abilities, I’d argue that you couldn’t be more wrong. Did he take unnecessary risks in the eye of the general public? Yes, absolutely, but he always understood the risks. Unfortunately, taking risks will eventually catch up with you despite the best knowledge and understanding. All it takes is for a wild animal to act in a manner against predicted behavior. I don’t think anyone is surprised that this happened, but we are all shocked by it. It’s always sad when someone who has touched our lives in one way or another passes away. It’s magnified when they have a family that is left behind. I wish I could find the same joy and passion in my life and work that Steve Irwin seemed to enjoy. Sadly for all, it was just too short. If there is video of this, I hope that it is destroyed or never leaked.
Comment by Branden — 9/4/2006 @ 3:36 pm
“A venturesome minority will always be eager to get off on their own, and no obstacles should be placed in their path; let them take risks for Godsake, let them get lost, sunburnt, stranded, drowned, eaten by bears, buried alive under avalanches - that is the right and privilege of any free American.” –Idaho Law Review 407, 420 - 1980 Or Australian.
Comment by Toren — 9/4/2006 @ 4:36 pm
Preliminary reports here suggest it wasn’t the poison that killed Steve, rather the very heavy hit from the large barbed tail. And that it was a freak, makes him only the third person in Australia’s recorded history. He wasn’t holding or touching it, and there is the video recording to prove it. Best explanation so far, that it felt threatened by the photographer on one side and Steve on the other, turned and hit him, but who knows, the behaviour wasn’t standard and who understands stingrays anyway.. We shall see if his death is made part of a wild life show. Reckon Bill has nailed what was so particularly appealing about Steve “think he was one of those rare and wonderful people whose enthusiasm generates such joy and even incredulity — they love what they do so damn much that you cannot help but love it as well. That is the kind of person that makes an impact on other lives.†And this Lissakay, “Life’s journey is not about walking sedately into your grave in a perfectly preserved body. Rather you should come in sliding sideways to the pearly gates, completely skinned up, bruised, scarred and stained, in a worn out body, with a martini in one hand and a cigar in the other, shouting “Holy crap! What a ride!!!†Crocfan, well said. The BBC World Have Your Say ran with Steve, last night my time. The point was made that he loved the nasty beasts, crocs, snakes, sharks, and he made us feel differently about them. No mean talent there. BBC commentators saying he was an inspiration!. The Beeb was stunned at the emails pouring in, not just Australia and the USA. Africa, new and old Europe, Asia. The 9 year old boy from India, Stevo, my Hero. They loved this crazy, wild, caring individual, and they loved what he loved. David Bellamy cried, he had a huge range of friends and admirers (George Bush). A remarkable man who did much good as the callers on BBC testified. There is something quite petty about dishing him as a mere showman and a bad one at that. And he was clearly a clever man. And a very complex and loveable man. Australia finds itself quite stunned at its own grief. Apart from a few nasties who can never forgive him for declaring John Howard a great Prime Minister.
Comment by Ros — 9/4/2006 @ 4:48 pm
Austin, I’m surprised at your comment. Steve Irwin lived life to its fullest. Perhaps it wasn’t your cup of tea nor surely mine, but he was by all accounts a decent family man and lived his life in a way that suited him. I could say the same of many career choices: Nascar, boat racing, triathaletes, on and on. Their passion may not be mine, but I respect them for their choices if made and exhibited honorably. On a personal note, there is a palpable sadness in our house. Daughter, aged 10 and son aged 14 have grown up with the “Crocodile Hunter.” Steve Irwin introduced them in an entertaining way to Australia and to its wonderous environs. Isn’t that great and worthy of our respect?  ED NOTE: See my editorial note to the comment below (the one where I mention Houdini). My youngest child was shocked and saddened, too. He was a teacher as well as showman. As I’ve said, I respected and admired Steve Irwin, otherwise I wouldn’t have written about him.  The subsequent reports discussing the freak nature of the stingray attack do add another perspective. Thrills on camera are one thing, a life-ending tragedy another. THanks for your thoughtful comment.
Comment by Kathy in Austin — 9/4/2006 @ 5:21 pm
I’m sorry to hear about his death. Sorry for Bindi and Bobby and Terri the most. He was crazy, a HUGE environmentalist and a man who was loved by many. Enough said.
Comment by Dianne — 9/4/2006 @ 5:31 pm
I thought the same things, until I read a little more and realized that this was a freak accident. Stingray stings are seldom fatal. The most he was risking realistically was a painful sting. He made a pretty good living showing us the creatures of the world, including the dangerous ones. I wouldn’t criticize him for being the guy he was.
Comment by AST — 9/4/2006 @ 5:41 pm
Everyone is entitled to their opinion but please understand that with Steve Irwin he was the same off screen as on. I always thought that while there was a possibility he would meet some nasty end to an animal, the most likely result would have been a body blowout. He ran at 120% practically all the time. It was not unusual for him to be up at 4.00am on mornings when he was croc tagging on Cape York and only needed about 5 hours sleep. My daughter’s ex boyfriend accompanied him on some of the tagging trips. He also worked alongside Steve in the croc enclosures for more than a year and felt the media attacks on him regarding the “Baby Bob” incident were beat up. While in retrospect Steve would not have taken the infant into the enclosure had he known about the repercussions, the danger was overstated. Firstly the camera angles were quite deceptive and gave the impression some of the crocs were closer than they really were. (Steve banned Channel 7 from the zoo for their obvious media grab). Secondly the crocs had already been fed sometime before they were steered into the arena which left them in a bit of a lethargic state. They will still snap at food in an almost automatic reaction. Are they still unpredictable? Yes. Would I have taken my baby into the pen? No way. My daughter was stunned by the news as she also worked at Australia Zoo for a number of years alongside Steve. She is now a marine biologist on a reef boat here in Port Douglas and is close friends with some of the crew on Croc One which arrived here on the weekend ready for the film shoot on Batt Reef. I understand they assisted in retrieving Steve after the incident but the word is it was over for him very quickly. He was taken to nearby Low Islands for helo lift to Cairns Base Hospital. Love him or loathe him, Steve Irwin certainly did not live a mundane life and loved what he was doing, A bit of a showman? Yes but so what. How dull the world would be without them. My deep condolences to Terrie, Bindy & Bob. No child should be without their Dad. Â ED NOTE: Great comment. Thank you for making it.
Comment by Richard — 9/4/2006 @ 6:07 pm
I am way more of the school that he had fun, lived his life well, and did good. He was not my cup of tea– more a matter of a different “style” than disapproval. But I know he inspired many young ones to be amateur naturalists, including two of my nephews who are doubtless in tears– as I was inspired, 50 years ago in a more sedate age, by more literary sources. One thing, farly important. I am a naturalist who has handled dangerous beasts and lived around them in the wild, from zoos to Montana to New Mexico. There is NO comparison between Steve Irwin, an experienced and knowledgeable person who, if a bit of a daredevil, knew his subjects of study were dangerous, and that poor deluded fool Treadwell, who thought grizzlies loved him. Treadwell, God rest his soul, was a ninny; Irwin more like Gerald Durrell on steroids.
Comment by Steve Bodio — 9/4/2006 @ 6:07 pm
Last month my next door neighbor died while rock climbing. It took a week to find his body. He left behind a 29 year old widow and a 14 month old baby boy(named Canyon). You can criticize him or Irwin but ultimately they both died doing what they loved. The same can be said for Dale Earnhart. I have a belief that, “I would rather die living, than live dead”. To the nay sayers, as you crawl back into your cubical tomorrow and stare at your computer screen in your “safe environment”, ask yourself who in fact actual lived life and who avoided it because it was dangerous? BTW, Remember that guy they fired last week? He might “go postal”, I hope you didn’t piss him off. Then there is the auto accident on the way to work that might take you out. Of course global warming and AIDS will probably kill us all, My Goodness you may come down with cancer. Maybe, you should just stay in bed and get the government or braver men, like Irwin, to take care of you. We are all going to die, what did you do with your time? Not many can or will be able to stand in Irwin’s shoes and say that they actually made a difference in the world.
Comment by Steve Kartchner — 9/4/2006 @ 6:11 pm
He lived his life to the full, taking risks he must have thought personally were calculated. I surmise he has no regrets. Many of us aim at a life that has more in quantity, while he most probably wanted more quality in his.
Comment by Amadeo — 9/4/2006 @ 6:18 pm
Every day, millions of men do dangerous, but not famous, work. These men take calculated risks every time they put on the uniform, strap on the toolbelt, and focus their minds and bodies on doing exactly the right thing to avert tragedy. Most of us will never know what it’s like to fly a high-performance jet, face an armed criminal or enemy soldier, run into a burning building, build skyscrapers, or a thousand other jobs where one mistake can get someone killed. The closest risk most of us ever take is getting into an automobile, and we just take that one for granted. I don’t know if anyone ever asked him whether he’d rather play it safe and die in bed of congestive heart failure in his eighties, or go out ‘with his boots on’, but I think we all know what Steve Irwin would have said.
Comment by The Monster — 9/4/2006 @ 6:21 pm
Lessons from the Crocodile Hunter… Now I generally like a lot of what Austin has to say, but this time he is missing the point compeltely. If there is one thing we can learn from Steve Irwin it is this. Life is worth living, risks are worth taking….  ED NOTE: You know that I agree that risks are worth taking — for example, risks to save another’s life, or risks to defend liberty. I admired Steve– otherwise I wouldn’t have written what I wrote this morning. I indicted myself, too — I’ve seen the komodo dragon show a half-dozen times. All is never sweetness and light, and the thrill-seeking, death-daring element in his shows was quite real. I don’t think the man was a hothead– I think he calculated his risks, as a Houdini would calculate risks. Some of the risks, however, appeared to cross the edge of showmanship and become something else. Thanks for your comment.
Trackback by Grey Thoughts — 9/4/2006 @ 6:23 pm
Let’s see. . . One day closer to death. How shall I live today? Regards/sbw
Comment by sbw — 9/4/2006 @ 7:32 pm
I think Jerry Pournelle & Larry Niven had the best description of this; “Think of it as ‘evolution in action’”. I’m sorry that he didn’t think more about his two young children as to throw his life away on a “stunt”.
Comment by Ken Mitchell — 9/4/2006 @ 7:37 pm
[…] Stephen Robert Irwin, 1962-2006: I believe this was the way he would have wanted to buy it, among his beloved animals. Austin Bay comments on The Crocodile Hunter’s untimely death. […]
Pingback by The Unlawyer » Today’s Business Links — 9/4/2006 @ 7:39 pm
Remember that Irwin had a job independent of his TV show. He started doing this because it was the family business. He turned the family business into what is now the Australia Zoo. TV or not, he’d have been wrestling with dangerous animals, it was part of his job. He was on TV because his job was interesting, his job wasn’t interesting because it was on TV.
Comment by Again — 9/4/2006 @ 8:08 pm
Featured on BuzzTracker… …
Trackback by BuzzTracker.com — 9/4/2006 @ 8:30 pm
Austin, I understand the difficulty in explaining to a child the death of Steve Irwin. However, it is difficult to explain the death of anyone to a child. I think the key in this case is to focus on Irwin’s life and the joy and entertainment he brought to so many. I would rather have to explain to my son Irwin’s death doing what he lived to do rather than had he died in an automobile accident or ravaged by cancer. Steve Irwin lived a life that touched millions around the world in an entertaining, educational, and humorous manner. Some (as witnessed by a few of the comments here) were not fans of Mr. Irwin, but the vast majority of the other human beings that watched him liked and appreciated what he did with his life. He seemed genuine in a way that is rare of celebrities in this age. I think the world is a bit better for Steve Irwin living the life he that he did. There is a long list of those who died doing dangerous things. However, the list of those who died trying not to do dangerous things is far, far longer.
Comment by F15C — 9/4/2006 @ 9:40 pm
Some Thoughts On Spam… The Spam Bots are getting to Austin Bay: I see the spam filter is acting up again. The filter has……
Trackback by Off Wing Opinion — 9/4/2006 @ 9:51 pm
What is being lost here is that Irwin was a conservationist and was doing this work before he ever became famous. Tonight they re-ran a show on Animal Planet where he said that everytime he was bitten, attacked, gored, clawed or injured in any way, it was his fault and not the animals, that he had crossed a line or became “complacent”. Oh, and the baby incident? (1) The crocodile had been heavily fed already (2) The crocodile was on a lead, not loose in the enclosure and (3) There were eleven people inside the enclosure who would have jumped on that croc at the first sign of trouble, only they were outside of camera range. Funny how that information doesn’t get on national TV. We do love to see our stars fall and fall hard. I wish that I had half the passion in my life about anything that Steve had for his animals and what he considered his “mission in life” which was to educate. He said the days of looking at wildlife through a long lens were gone and if he was going to get up close, he could go with him. I’ll miss him. And it woundn’t have mattered how to he died.
Comment by Kim — 9/4/2006 @ 10:09 pm
We lost someone wonderful. He wasn’t doing anything dangerous or out of the ordinary for a marine biologist. It truly was a freak accident. The animal wasn’t visible to him. People, just mourn our loss and celebrate what he gave to us. It is not a time for snarks revealing envy for a life fully lived. My heart goes out to his wife and children.
Comment by Lisa Sullivan — 9/4/2006 @ 10:12 pm
I’ve seen several people say it was a freak accident b/c stingrays are not very dangerous. This may be true, but if so why were they filming them for a “series called Ocean’s Deadliest”?
Comment by twalsh — 9/4/2006 @ 10:51 pm
Also, some people have said the stingray was hidden in the sand. That is not true according to this story that talks about at least two people who saw the video and both say he was actually following the stingray: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20355112-601,00.html The saddest part is the story said he decided to film the sequence spur of the moment for a new show his 8 year old daughter was hosting. Hope she doesn’t end up blaming herself forever.
Comment by twalsh — 9/4/2006 @ 11:22 pm
Was Irwin politically active? His personality type sounds a bit tough, a bit conservative, but his environmental interests sound more green.
Comment by Ken Carroll — 9/5/2006 @ 12:11 am
He was the model for Crocodile Dundee — and many other great shows. Risking death, sometimes crossing the line; usually crossing the line and not even knowing it’s a line. Was his death a 1 in a 100, 1 in a 1000, or 1 in 10 kind of risk? Risk should be more quantified, more often.
Comment by Tom Grey - Liberty Dad — 9/5/2006 @ 1:11 am
Irwin’s show was definitely captivating because he had that certain charisma which draws people to him. I watched a few of his shows, which I thought were very entertaining, but I always felt that what he was doing was pretty reckless. Of course, we shouldn’t insulate ourselves in our homes, but when you take risks you should be prepared for those difficulties which are most likely to come about. I started backpacking when I was in Scouts. The most important lesson we learned was that if we were physically able to endure the trail, and that if you carried certain pieces of equipment necessary for survival, you can minimize serious risk to life and limb. It is highly likely that you will feel physical discomfort in a risky endeavor even if you are well-prepared; however, the possibility of starvation, broken limbs, or bear attack can be reduced to such a level that it becomes reasonably, but not entirely, unlikely. Whenever I go into the mountains I always work with that lesson in mind. Judging by his show (I wonder how much of it is staged), Steve never learned that lesson. Interacting with dangerous animals on such an absurdly intimate level proves it. I doubt he ever truly appreciated what he was up against.
Comment by Matt Gilbreth — 9/5/2006 @ 1:41 am
Steve Irwind did more for wildlife and conservation than any any other individual. He touched the future decision makers - the children. His memory deserves better than a technical discussion of how he managed to crete this interest in the wild in our children. Just an example - my son age 24 came to visit me here in Brisbane Australia from Europe. He only had one wish while in Australia “I want to go and see Steve Irwin”& together we went to Australia Zoo (just North of here) and had a 3 hour insipired afternoon in the company of Steve Irwin and his crocodile show. Steve was a complete natural - never changed what you got was what you saw. A man deserving our heartfelt respect. NielsK PS: Only 2 recorded death in Australia by Stingray barb- 1937 and 1945.
Comment by Niels Kjellerup — 9/5/2006 @ 1:44 am
According to a report in one of our dailies, the ray in question was 2.5m across and 200kgs. A ray like that might have a stinger (more like a barbed dagger) about 20cm long, so it wasn’t the usual tiddler. Apparently there are only 17 recorded deaths from stingray attacks, so you’d have to say he was very unlucky. Not that they can’t be aggressive - I’ve heard of one chasing a friend at the beach. Generally they’re placid unless stood on. A few of the guys at work have encountered them at the beach - they have a tendency to bury themselves in sand so that only their eyes are visible, so it’s easier to stand on one than you might think. I hope I never see a 200kg one except behind glass.
Comment by Craig Mc — 9/5/2006 @ 1:46 am
I’m not sure he knew the risks. I saw an interview in which he rambled on about how he had some special gift that allowed him to communicate or walk among wild animals. When I saw it I predicted his “death by animal” on the spot (didn’t expect the docile stingray method) because that thinking is warped. He thought he had a “gift” that would protect him. It doesn’t work that way. Wild animals are completely unpredictable and anyone who thinks otherwise is doomed. Even a domesticated dog will revert to it’s natural, aggressive instinct at times. Crocodiles, bears, dragons - leave ‘em alone.
Comment by Sydsho Bob — 9/5/2006 @ 8:28 am
I have to respectfully disagree. I think he knew the risks, but accepted them as necessary for his mission. He died doing something he loved, and for a cause he believed in. His death is tragic. But I have to admit I admire him - even if I might not have been willing to take the same risks he took.
Comment by Harold C. Hutchison — 9/5/2006 @ 9:22 am
Let’s try that again RIP Mr. Irwin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8h6yXREbV0
Comment by monkeyfan — 9/5/2006 @ 12:01 pm
Steve Irwin died doing what he loved. He lived his life to the fullest and infected those who knew him and watched him with his wide eyed enthusiasm for the conservation of the animals he loved. He chose to champion species most often vilified and destroyed by the fearful and ignorant, and sought to show the world the beauty in the creatures he worked with. He was a larger than life personality and he did burn so bright that perhaps he was destined to be extinguished prematurely. But, Steve always used the unexpected and sometimes unfortunate events on his programs as teachable moments. While it is sadly ironic that he was killed in a freakish sting by a species so docile that they are a common tourist attraction, Steve would be the first to defend the animal, and urge us all to have respect for thier instincts. His legacy, aside from his family that he leaves behind, is the Australia Zoo, which was his dream, and a generation of children around the world who see beauty in snakes and crocodiles rather than monsters who should be killed out of ignorance. Thanks Steve, You were a good man, and I’ll miss you!
Comment by Lindsey — 9/5/2006 @ 12:03 pm
I used to watch the Croc Hunter a long time ago, and my impression of Irwin was that he was an energetic and likable guy, with a penchant for giving visibility to big and dangerous creatures - and not just the “pretty” ones like big cats. Having his kid on the show was a stupid and irresponsible mistake, but it was an isolated case - that was his “Grizzly Man” moment, and happily his kid wasn’t harmed. Otherwise, I think there was at least a strong argument that his work was worthwhile and responsible; he believed he was providing a unique insight into the nature and reality of big predators that otherwise would have been passed over - at worst - or covered from a safe distance with a muttering voiceover - at best. Sure, there will be that inevitable portion of the audience looking for a new “Jackass!” ™ fix, but I think for every one of those, there were many more like me who learned A) big predators AREN’T just superficial nasties whose extermination would have no impact on the ecosystem and B) big predators ARE deadly and should be avoided at all costs - they belong in the ecosystem not the dumps and suburbs. I never once had the sense that Irwin was gloating or bullying the creatures on his shows. I am deeply saddened by his passing, but I would not be too quick to fault him as a “daredevil dad”; he believed in what he did just like a soldier, policeman or firefighter, and I think deserves the same respect.
Comment by Scott — 9/5/2006 @ 12:49 pm
I am greatly saddened by his passing. Just this weekend I went on a family trip to Arches National Park in Utah. While there, I took my family rock climbing, exploring, and rappelling. As my kids ran around the park, they caught lizards and held them for a while and then let them go without harming them. If a lizard crapped on their hand or bit them, they just shrugged it off. I credit that to Steve–and the countless Crocodile Hunter shows we have watched together–with the care and wonder they showed those animals. When I was a kid, I would have just shot at the lizards with my sling shot–or worse, shot them out of my sling shot–or done something equally as stupid. I truly regret my stupid moments in life. But my kids DID learn from Steve and treat nature way better than I, or any of the kids I ever grew up with did. Steve has unwittingly saved countless sparrows, spiders, ants, lizards, snakes and who knows what else from magnifying glasses, BB guns, fire crackers, bottle rockets, and sling shots. Our world is a better place because Steve lived in it. Is the world a better place because of you and what you do? I hope I leave this world better than I found it. My kids ask to watch Animal Planet and National Geographic Channel on TV. What do YOUR kids ask to watch? David
Comment by David Kirkham — 9/5/2006 @ 3:30 pm
Im still in shock. I think the guy was totally awesome. He made me laugh and I know millions of people will miss this man.
Comment by Michelle — 9/5/2006 @ 5:20 pm
I am terribly sorry for the death of Steve Irwin.It was absolutley unessasary.And a tragic loss to his family. I am amazed at the ignorance of humans to think that you can play with dangerous animals and not pay the price.He indeed got the attention of many people around the world.The arrogance and complacentcy of some of these so called professionals just boggles the mind.The excuse that we need to be shown up close and personal these animals is ridiculous.What does it take to know that if you mess with the bull you get the horn?
Comment by john — 9/5/2006 @ 6:37 pm
The world would be a very different place if we each had the passion, zeal and courage of Steve Irwin. He died at 44 but he will live on through the work he so completely devoted himself to. Perhaps we should focus on what he left each of us, rather than playing God and deciding why he left us so soon?
Comment by Kim — 9/5/2006 @ 7:25 pm
To all u haters writing on the blog, to degrade irwin and call him simply a “Reckless Adrenelinie Junkie” is plain ignorance. Steve irwin experienced life more than all of us writing put together. He did his job whatever you think that may be; conservationist,entertainer, ETC to the max and always took pride in that. I think we should all learn from irwins persona and inject a little thrill into our lives. RIP Croc Hunter.
Comment by Peter Rotchford — 9/5/2006 @ 11:24 pm
He was indeed a big personality with a great sense of humor. I’m sure he would find the movie of himself in the link below amusing. http://www.michaelbarnett.co.uk/steveirwin.html
Comment by mike — 9/6/2006 @ 2:27 am
Im so sorry about a great guy like Steve To be gone I used to think he was immortal! He did a lot of great things and I visited the zoo 100 times (I think) I wish for the best to Bindie-Sue and Bob and Terry! He had a enough courage and good will to go around and I hope the environmental work will be kept going! Emily
Comment by Emily — 9/6/2006 @ 2:35 am
I would say Steve’s accomplishments speak for themselvs.but on the other hand what he left behind in no way can ever make up for his contribution to the world. First and most important he was a father and a husband. That is more important than all his fame. He was only 44 years old; this is a complete tragedy for his family. As a new father myself (daughter 2 years old) I cannot think of anything that is worth risking my life. Steve was an avid risk taker, he new the dangers of what he was doing. I heard on the news (and I say this loosely, he had a commentary before this adventure in which he explained the dangers of this dive. From what I understand he went as far as explaining how dangerous this expedition was even for professionals) with this being said it seems as though he knew the risks. Knowing the risks I believe he put he stardom and drive before his family. Never the less he has definitely contributed to the world, but at what expense, his family. He has lost his life at the young age of 44, this is a tragedy. It is definitely as loss to the world but more importantly to his family. I believe the biggest loss is to his children and wife. May God be with them, Love Anonymous
Comment by David — 9/6/2006 @ 3:48 am
A great man, a hero to all, Steve Irwin! The legend! A great man, a hero to all, Steve Irwin! The legend! http://www.ripsteve-irwin.blogspot.com
Comment by Alex — 9/6/2006 @ 4:19 am
The sting ray is a benign bottom feeder known to prowl extremely shallow beaches at low tide. I used to spear flounder along the beaches late at night as a child. Tap a ray with your spear and he would run in a violent flurry of “wings” and roiled water. They never attack, rather more at cowardly. The barb is located at the base of the tail and is maybe 1-1/2 inches long on a 3 foot wide ray. This had to have been a HUGE ray, if the barb was long enough to pierce through to his heart. Mr. Irwin was placing himself in a perfect position for the death to have occurred. Probably the only recorded death by sting ray. I have personally experienced the painful barb, coated with a gelatinous slime, from a 3 foot ray…non-injected, it hurts worse than a hornet sting and lasts hours. owlafaye
Comment by owlafaye — 9/6/2006 @ 7:48 am
The crocodile hunter was and will continue to be a well known celebrity all over the world. Regardless of whether the the man is dead or alive, he will always have a special place in everyones heart. For his amusing touch to teaching so many people about the wonderful animals of the world. Though he has died, he has left behind a a whole series of shows that will educate all man-kind, children, and grown-ups. I don’t think that anyone will be able to take his place in the human world or the animal kingdom. May God Be With Him, Bob
Comment by Bob Mcbob — 9/6/2006 @ 8:01 am
It is a loss for all people cause he was a good man
Comment by Ivan — 9/6/2006 @ 9:00 am
I am still in shock and will be for a very long to come. I feel so bad for this man’s wife and children. Although I know nothing about medical science, I am surprised that given Steve’s fame and notoriety, that more heroic measures were not taken to preserve his life. It is my personal belief that if people had continued to perform CPR on him, nonstop, until he arrived at a major surgical hospital, that blood and oxygen would have continued to be pumped throughout his body until such time as a major medical unit could place him on life support. The damaged heart in question isn’t entirely necessary. People have heart bypass surgeries every single day in this world and the process usually involves physically stopping the heart and having a machine pump the person’s blood for them. I don’t know how probable it is, but isn’t it possible that he could have gone to a hospital if CPR had been continuously performed until his arrival, where they could put him on a respirator and machine that would act on behalf of his heart, while hospital personnel injected anti-venoms or other medicines to neutralize the poisons and then inspected the heart to see if it could be repaired, or weighed other options. Extreme? Maybe, but this was an extreme guy, and one that could have afforded the bills accrued for such procedures. Let me tell you something, if something ever happened to my wife, you can bet your bottom dollar that I’m on top of it and am providing artificial life support until such time as all the medical personnel available have me 110% convinced that there is “nothing” more that can be done. If you have a puncture wound to the heart, it’s obvious that the average person cannot revive the person, but that doesn’t mean that a heart surgeon can do nothing. Maybe the net result would have been the same, but I believe that we, as human beings often give up performing CPR after a reasonable period of time of performing it and not being able to revive that person. I guess what I’m saying is that just because a person has stopped breathing and their heart has stopped beating does not mean that that spark of life has left their body yet. Michael
Comment by Michael Failla — 9/6/2006 @ 9:03 am
To answer #25, yes, you can de-sting a sting ray. They are simply clipped like finger nails. I think the reason we are all trying to figure this man out is because, yes, he was a thrill seeker, but not just for the heck of it. He grew up with a love of animals all of them, even the ugliest. I have personally seen high school chidren visibly upset because of his passing. Our children are still looking for a wholesome role model. Steve provided that. You never heard a cuss word, he loved what he did, he adored his family and often spoke openly of his love for his Best Mates. To me and thousands of children around the world,. That is a real hero. He will be missed! Lisa
Comment by Lisa — 9/6/2006 @ 9:57 am
My heartfelt condolences go out to Steve’s wife, children, insteadand father. He also will be missed among the millions who enjoyed his programs on Discovery Channel. It is so ironic that his death was caused, by all accounts, from an accidental encounter with a gentle species of fish, rather than from a vicious attack by an adult crocodile or a bite from a venomous snake. I must admit I was always taken aback by the chances Steve took around some really dangerous animals on his television shows and documentaries. He seemed to have a very genuine love for these animals, but I think animal lovers tend to project their own human feelings and emotions onto these creatures. But make no mistake — reptiles and fish are not sentimental creatures, at least not toward our species. They are programmed to view us humans either as predators to be feared or as food to be eaten — nothing more and nothing less. They should be respected and protected, but they are not pets; and they should be allowed live in their own habitats without being bothered by humans. Almost all wild animals have a natural aversion to humans, which has served both them and us well over the millennia. We change their behavior when we interact with them, an this always has consequences.
Comment by Kelly Smith — 9/6/2006 @ 11:16 am
I have cried for days. As an animal lover myself I had a great affinity for Teri and his programs. Then came his kids. I have kids. We all have been in shocked disbelief over this whole thing. We still can’t believe he’s gone. God Bless you Terri and both of your children.
Comment by Tamara — 9/6/2006 @ 11:47 am
remember steve irwin sign the guestbook at http://www.remembersteve.com/
Comment by henric — 9/6/2006 @ 2:14 pm
although I didn’t know him, he left his mark on the world , he will be remembered good or bad, and his death should not be mourned, but his life celebrated , for he lived life to it’s fullest.
Comment by dclan00 — 9/6/2006 @ 10:06 pm
Another guestbook here.. http://www.crocodilehunter.org I think it is going straight to the zoo as well.
Comment by Ross — 9/6/2006 @ 10:08 pm
Death is very ironic, and always has been!!! This man has taight us so many things about animals… Like how to make one extremely angeriny!!! But he also taught us how we should compassion for all of God’s creatures.. I think he was a good man, a very true soul.. My family will miss him greatly, he was very unique… May God bless his family in there time of need!!!!
Comment by heaven — 9/7/2006 @ 5:13 am
I believe that it was very tragic what had happened to Steve Irwin. He did know things about stingrays but didnt think it would happen to him.I never really watched his show, but I watched it a couple times and him when he was on tv shows. He used to always say Crinky!
Comment by Monica Fabiszewski — 9/8/2006 @ 10:32 am
Every once in a while a physical form leaves us to return to the spirit - An enormous influence and enlightening soul that no matter what your outside color is - the loss will pull on your heart string. The lesson he leaves is to not be afraid of any creature that dwells among us - To embrace, appreciate and Love them all. But be wise and don’t get too Damn Close!
Comment by Roostyr Gibson — 9/8/2006 @ 5:50 pm
I don’t give a crikey about what anyone else has to say. I loved Steve and will miss watching him on my television. He may have walked ( and swam) on the edge, but it’s what he loved the most, next to his family. Rest in peace Steve!
Comment by kristina b — 9/8/2006 @ 9:19 pm
I’m achmad ritaudin from Indonesia ”Sangat berduka cita atas kematian karakter favorite saya Steve Irwin”THANK’s
Comment by Achmad_Ritaudin — 9/8/2006 @ 11:40 pm
iam extremely feeling so sad of the great fear less LION crocidle hunter
Comment by rajnivas — 9/9/2006 @ 9:03 am
It devevastated me and my husband. It honestly upset him more than me because he watched his shows but when we were watching his tribute my husband couldnt handle it and went to the bedroom crying. Our hearts go out to those in pain from this tragety
Comment by Cameron Gonzalez — 9/9/2006 @ 11:57 am
I feel that the water should have ben checked so things like this dont happen but he died doing somthin he loved so we all will miss you Steve Irwin.
Comment by Tanisha — 9/9/2006 @ 4:32 pm
Rest in Peace Steve.
Comment by Trish — 9/9/2006 @ 4:33 pm
My family watched his show many times through the years. We only stopped watching when he had his baby boy under his arms feeding that croc.To me that was entertainment and it had nothing to do with wild life preservation. He said he was completely under control of that animal.Yet the least dangerous animal in the sea took his life. I am so very sorry for his children growing up without their daddy,but only God knows why this happened..God Bless Terri and her precious children.
Comment by susan — 9/10/2006 @ 10:06 am
Hi, my name is Waleed Javed n im from Pakistan.. When we heard this news we were totally in grieve… He was the bravest man i have ever seen… The way he used to do that stuff was simply outstanding… He was the most amazing man that the world had ever seen…. No matter wht happens we will always remember him… I have even heard that there’s a footage of his death moments n there r many who wants to see on Air n many dont…. So wht i think is that the best way to choose is that we should ask Steve’s family members whether they should or not…. i no this is very weird suggestion or probably the most pathetic one… but something has to b done……
Comment by Waleed Javed — 9/10/2006 @ 12:12 pm
All I have to say is what I’ve already said in this song tribute: Crocodile Hunter words and music by Bruce L. Thiessen, aka Dr. BLT (c)2006 http://www.drblt.net/music/crocodileHunter.mp3
Comment by Bruce L. Thiessen, aka Dr. BLT — 9/10/2006 @ 3:22 pm
It is with a sad heart to hear of such sad news.My family loved his show. The media did a Bush injustice on the show of Baby Bob.And now you can turn on the radio and all these talk show Jocks have nothing but ( well what a fool,or you knew it was going to happen). It makes me sick.They are the joke.Our Prayers and heart felt condolences go out to the Irwin family, and all of those at the Australia Zoo.God Bless you Steve for opening my Eyes.
Comment by Jesse B Ayers Jr. — 9/10/2006 @ 4:30 pm
good by i loved yoar show was a big fane
Comment by jesse james garner — 9/12/2006 @ 5:16 am
I mourn Steve Irwin. He was foremost an educator who effectively shared his caring and enthusiam for the wild creatures who inhabit our planet with thousands of people who otherwise might never have taken an interest in the natural world, let alone understood why they should respect and preserve it. If nothing else, Austin Bay, at least his research of his subjects and their activities was accurate, unlike your off-the-cuff and incorrect usage of the famed “Circus Maximus” to pejoratively describe Mr.Irwin’s show. I never saw an episode of his program in which he participated or advocated chariot races, which were what the ancient Romans presented at the Circus Maximus. Exotic beasts were featured and slain for public amusement in gladiatorial arenas like the Colliseum in Rome; a far cry from the Irwins’ successful efforts to promote wildlife welfare. Steve Irwin will be missed.
Comment by Shan — 9/18/2006 @ 5:34 am
Steve will be missed, but his legend will live for ever! His daughter will follow his footsteps.
Comment by awesometanninglotions — 9/21/2006 @ 7:12 pm
He was a very good man.When i was little I looked up to him.I wanted to be just like him.i always wanted to find snakes etc.i’m sorry terri. i wish the best of luck for his family .my wish is to see his family.BYE
Comment by gilberto — 9/28/2006 @ 7:39 am
I know,we live in the world, where we get something,only when something have been lost.That situation exactly shows that what I said above is true.People all over the world know a lot about our planet from Steve’s shows,and God bless him!!!
Comment by Bakha — 10/21/2006 @ 1:10 pm
age to lift weight…
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Trackback by age to lift weight — 9/27/2008 @ 5:55 pm
It is hard to believe that he has been gone that long.
Comment by tanning lotion — 12/24/2008 @ 12:00 am