Stingray kills 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin

[jonnythan]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=157073

Guys, for news this big, please do a search before posting multiple threads about it.

 

[gonetobaja]

This reminds me of the Timothy Treadwell incident. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Treadwell

Steve did a lot for conservation and raising awareness of animal issues and truly loved animals. He did get very close to some of them and as has been posted it seemed like this might be the inevitable outcome. Wild animals are just that, wild.

I hope that his good work continues and people remember all the good things he did. Sad indeed.

Terrible news....

I have been watching the trend of people messing with wild animals for a few years now. The popular thing seems to be to portray animals that are dangerous as misunderstood beings that dont reallly want to hurt anyone. Although to a certain extent this is true, a wild animal is still equiped to kill to defend itself and to survive. Its one thing to dive with sharks, but without a cage or armor? Its one thing to study grizzly bears, but with out any protection at all? I would like to see people start to give some of these animals the respect they deserve by at least wearing some sort of protection to show the people watching that there is a safe way to interact with animals. I saw a guy on shark week a while back that had his whole calf bitten off. He was standing in waist deep water with bull sharks with no protection at all. He even had a camera in the water to shoot his legs as the sharks swam in and out. I think the show was called "anatomy of a shark attack". I have a feeling that the show started out as a show on how the bull shark was misunderstood, and would not just swim up and bite you for no reason. No protection and now he has no calf. lucky hes not dead also. I own a set of Neptunic shark armor www.neptunic.com . I dive regularly with sharks and Humboldt squid. I try to always wear my armor. People give me alot of flak sometimes because they think I am trying to over hype the danger by wearing protection. :no

I am leaving to film a documentary on Humboldt Squid on Sunday for history Channel, I will be wearing all of my dive armor. A stingray strike to the chest a truly uncommon way to get hit but I guess when you swim with big bull rays it can happen. I wonder if people will take another look on how they protect themselvs in the water now?

Terrible news about Mr. Irwin, he was a one of kind guy. I feel terrible for his wife and children.

GTB
www.sea-wolves.com

 

[Scubaguy62]

This is truly terrible news, and it goes to show that even highly experienced wild animal professionals can bite the proverbial bullet doing that in which they are considered, and classified as professionals. GTB's position is one with which I agree, although I have done several shark dives without "protection" per se, and although nothing has happened to me, it isn't unlikely it will at some point.

I truly believe it was his time to go and no amount of protection would have prevented what happened. All I know is that since the only one guarantee we have in life is death, I hope when my time comes, like Steve, I'm doing something I love.

My heart goes to Terri and their two children.

 

[BKP]

Terrible news....

I saw a guy on shark week a while back that had his whole calf bitten off. He was standing in waist deep water with bull sharks with no protection at all. He even had a camera in the water to shoot his legs as the sharks swam in and out. ...

Terrible news about Mr. Irwin, he was a one of kind guy. I feel terrible for his wife and children.

GTB
www.sea-wolves.com

You're talking about Erich Ritter, who professed to understand bulls beyond the possibility of getting attacked... So much for shark whisperers... However, like Treadwell, Ritter, Roy Horn, and even Steve Irwin to some degree, many experts admonished their behavior as inviting tragedy.

I enjoyed Irwin's shows. He had a passion for wildlife. Perhaps that passion and dedication at times causes them to lose sight of the inherent danger that exists with wildlife.

On the other hand, people like Irwin, and Bill Haast (who injected himself with increasing amounts of neurotoxic venom, to ultimately develop antivenin and serum from his own blood, which saved *many* cobra bite victims), give us insights into places we wouldn't otherwise ever see...

 

[Matt P]

That really is sad.

In a strange way Steve Irwin seemed almost indestructable. I assumed he would go while trying to tango with a snake, scorp, croc, etc. Yet, I was still startled when I read the headline this morning. It's strange how you expect it but are still shocked when it happens.

He'll be missed. I was really shocked when I heard the news. My prayers to his family.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

That's TV these days and I don't watch much TV at all.

He did whatever he did and I hope he was compensated fairly but I fail to see what he did to deserve anything from me beyond the respect that I hope that I would extend to any person.

Then, this thread is not for you, and you should leave it alone for those who feel differently

 

[mred]

Wow, what a bummer of a way to wake up to in the morning ... what a bummer of a way to go. I have been to the Australia Zoo, and it is an awesome attraction outside Brisbane. They took in the Galapagos Turtle Harriett there when she needed a home. He was an absolutely wonderful guy, and actually knew what he was doing, unlike some of those actors who just appear with the animals. He has done a tremendous job of raising awareness for conservation! Sure he was over the top, but if he had made boring documentaries, no one would have watched, and he would nave not made any difference. I can not tell you how many times I have seen sting rays scurrying around in the sand ... last time was off Sydney Harbour ... I personally, had become completely complacent around those guys ... not any longer. Even in death Steve is still teaching us things about the world around us. I will miss him a lot.

 

[MarkUK]

It is a sad occurrence and, while I didn't advocate his touchy feelly style, he did do a lot to educate people who perhaps wouldn't have watched a 'normal' wildlife TV programme and, as such, he will be sadly missed. My heart goes out to his wife and kids.

I have to confess that, when I heard the news, I immediately assumed he had been manhandling the ray and that is why he got nailed. After all, that is what he does with most of the animal life on his shows. However, after reading and talking to a lot of people closely connected to Steve and the incident, it does appear it was just a case of the ray feeling boxed in by Steve and his cameraman and lashing out. If it had got him anywhere else but the heart, he'd probably still be alive, and by the sounds of it, it was nothing to do with the venom, but the impact of a stilleto-blade-like barb going straight into his heart that killed him. A very unlikely scenario, but these things do happen.

Mark

 

[DiverBeth]

I was stunned when I first read of Steve's death. I liked to watch his shows every now and then. I suppose it will still be awhile before we know all the facts regarding this incident so I refrain from speculating on how the attack could of happened.

My condolences to his family, friends and admirers.

 

[jepuskar]

Two things...

1) This should not come as a shock to anyone.
2) It's only a matter of time until the video of the accident is released.