Steve Irwin killed - how sad.

Just awakened and looked on TV to discover Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, has been killed by a sting ray. How very sad for his family. The death was an absolutely freak one, with the sting ray's barb entering his chest and into his heart.

Living on the coast, I've seen hundreds of sting rays over the years while diving and just walking in shallow water; very rarely I'll hear of someone being barbed, but have never heard of a fatality. I'm sure Steve's wouldn't have been fatal had it not been directly into the heart. What a freak thing.

I always thought he was a bit of a showboat, but he did it in such a way that it was never obnoxious and offensive, at least to me. I often enjoyed his show. Showboat or not, he certainly brought attention to environmental and animal issues.

Yeah, I"m extermely sad to hear the news as well. Very unfortunate indeed.

Yes extremly sad for his family, friends, and all who value nature. No matter what you thought of him & his programs he was a great ambassador for conservation with a genuine enthusiasm for what he did. My thoughts go out to his family. He will be greatly missed by many and I hope his legacy lives on.

Geoff Lawrie
Queensland, Australia.

To Steve!

I was a fan from early on too. While I liked his show, I did think he took way too many chances and eventually something was going to nail him. I think the laws of probability caught up with him. There are other flamboyant wildlife shows now (Jeff Corwin etc.,) but Irwin was the pioneer and was a very likeable guy.


Kent in SD

Wildlife has lost a dear friend.

- Dan.

That is sad, though he did take a lot of chances. He lived a unique and daring life and died an equally unique death. We're fortunate to have had him around when we did.

Guy

He did seem like a nice guy. I never saw much of him, except him feeding crocodiles in his early days of TV. I heard a brief interview with his producer that made it sound like Steve was just passing by the ray and it was a freak accident. But of course Steve was messing with the creature.

He was a huge asset to the conservation of the diversity of this planet....I will miss him. I feel very sad for his family.

Very sad! He was a great adventurer, teacher, and animal lover! Thanks for all you did, Steve, to connect my kids with nature.

right or wrong it was a life well lived,
to the family, it is a very sad time and my feelingds are yours..
to Steve..you lived life to the fullest, and there will be several generations who heed your teachings, and will watch the show
I am proud to say..I was your audience
Godspeed, my man
david trow

A Great Bloke, A Great Loss, Andrew Denton of ABC Australia Said all Last night when put aside his planed programing to replay his inter view Steve last year. My most Sincere Condolances & prayers are with his wife and Family.
Steve You were a fairdinkum Australian Nature Will Miss your happy smiling face.
Charles R Kerr

I don't watch TV at home, but know who this guy was from occasional glimpses on TV at relatives & motels. What a shame that he is gone. He seemed like a passionate guy - production or reality, either way, an infectious love of animals (albeit the dangerous ones) was there. We need a few maniacs to overcome the inertia of rest of us. This is an amazing world and we really ought to get out and see it.

Pete D.

I know that I will miss his passion for life, nature, and wildlife. I did have a few issues with the chances he took, but overall I think he was one of the greatest assets the conservation movement ever had.

He had an 8 year old daughter and 3 year old son to his wife Terri. It is definitely a sad thing for them. Hopefully, his passion for wildlife will be passed to his children. My condolances go out to his close friends and family.

Scott

It's a lost to the world - a person who actively involve in nature conservation & wildlife.
A condolence to his family.

Soul
http://tropict.blogspot.com

Definitely unfortunate and very sad. I just returned from Hilton Head Is., and happened to see a stingray washed up on shore. It was about 18" across and the barb looked to be 3" - 4" long. I have not heard the details, but I imagine the barb that struck him was huge to have done what it did. And although he took what seemed to be many chances, I suspect they were always very educated chances.

Oh, I was so sad to return from holidays & read this news! I did enjoy the show in the past & loved his infectious love for animals & his job. His love for Teri & his children was also obvious. A sad day indeed.

You either loved or hated his personality, sometime I found it over the top but I have never come across a guy that was so passionate about what he wanted to achieve in life. He work 110% flatout and brought not only Australia's attention but the worlds attention to his cause. I hail him in the way that he let nothing stop him towards his goal and his achievements in the 15 years since he started TV is mindblowing. He will not only be missed in Australia but all over the world.

This was such a freak accident, he wasn't even there to film Stingrays but when he saw them he thought of filming them for his daughters project she was working on. He was swimming above the Stingray when it attacked. Maybe he spooked it, we will never know but it's barb went through his heart.

I heard a brief interview with his producer that made it sound like Steve was just passing by the ray and it was a freak accident. But of course Steve was messing with the creature.

Is this for real, Yes it was a freak accident.

Steve was a great friend of nature and nature loved him. It was a tragic accident.
I can't never forget about Steve, he showed us a fantastic world.
Great men are forever.

TO STEVE!!

I found Steve's enthusiasm for wildlife very appealing. He said in an interview on Discovery that he would put his life on the line to save wildlife. I did not like his handling of the creatures too much but admired his nerve and skill in doing it. He was very agile and quick; his tree climbing skills I think should be legendary. His leaps from the moving vehicle will always remain in my memory of him. He was the only "handler of snakes" that I know of that held the snake by the tail, avoiding the head by adopting a very wide stance and saying often, "you're all right. you're all right." That was his usual quote when the creature he held showed signs of stress. He was very knowledgable about the wildlife and I appreciated that he shared it with us.

Will
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada