Stingray Kills TV's 'Crocodile Hunter'

(CBS/AP)  Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and conservationist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.

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 barb 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.

"It's just absolutely unbelievable," Nigel Marven, a well-known wildlife specialist who was a longtime friend of Irwin's, said on The Early Show. "To be killed by a big crocodile or bitten by a snake, you'd have believed it. But a stingray? There's only been three cases in Australia of deaths by stingrays in the last 100 years. Seventeen worldwide. So it's a tremendous freak accident."

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.

2Irwin 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.

He rode his image into a feature film, 2002's "The Crocodile Hunters: Collision Course" and developed the wildlife park that his parents opened, Australia Zoo, into a major tourist attraction.

"The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!"'

Prime Minister John Howard, who hand-picked Irwin to attend a gala barbecue to honor President Bush when he visited in 2003, said he was "shocked and distressed at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death."

"It's a huge loss to Australia," Howard told reporters. "He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people."

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[lilsurf0]

I know we all are greatly hurt since the incedent. We will miss him dearly and always will.he brought joy to our hearts and just remember if you remember him his spirit will last forever, but if we were to forget he would become a ghost of the past.we all loved him.He was a brave and packed with courage.he has changed the way people see the animals he dealed with and i would have loved to thank him for every thing he did.Let his name sour threw our hearts.


sincerely,
makenzie love
age 11

[apdepetris]

I was reading comments out here and was very disturbed at the negative comments made. You people are rude and insensitive. A man with a wife and 2 small children dies and all you are concerned about is his education. Steve Irwin grew up around animals and they were his passion in life. Too bad there aren't more of us in this world lucky enough to go to work each day with his enthusiasm (because he was doing what he loved to do). And people blaiming him for his own death is absurd. Did he risk his life and take chances working with these animals - of course. But do you say the same thing about other people with dangerous jobs like policemen or firefighters? How about the 9/11 rescue workers. Are the ones that died that day responsible for their own deaths? There are people all over the world that go to work and risk their lives every day because they believe what they are doing is important. Steve you will be missed. Rest in peace.

[exoticona]

To know the animal world...is to know the other world. That world we are so alien to, and yet so akin to. Steve brought us close to the creatures of the world that we no longer are able to see. So many things we don't know about our planet, and the liaison he brought to the screen brought us closer to the creatures. He vitalized our spirits, brought energy to our feet, made our hair stand on end, and got our hearts to skip a beat. We grew entranced by the beasts we knew so little about. The message was loud and clear...this truly is the animal's planet. We are all part of the ecosystem. So much as changed, and will continue to change. His death comes as a shock, a surprise, and untimely. What a single action of one of the beasts of the world can cause an international stirring of deep remorse, and affection...to elicit a response...this surely has!

[kimbaba2]

BUNION BI T C H. who cares if he was "properly educated"? honestly, what the hell. HE WAS DOING WHAT HE LOVED and he went into the face of danger and entertained millions of people. Maybe you can have an opinion after you go and do HALF the things this guy did. and have some respect because he was DEFINITELY a respectable person who lost his life. if you don't have anything to say in regards to being sorry for his death then don't say anything at all.

[totallymmhmm]

So so so sad, it wasnt his time and it just made me sooo mad and sad when i heard it on the news, No one and I mean no one can take his place or be as caring and cool as him. When ever i see a crock. it makes me rember then i start tearing. I pray for his family and friends and all of thoes who care for him and may he sleep in peace. Steve ur in our hearts.

Crocks are cool and will always be cared for.

[rggou]

We really enjoyed watching Steve's program it always interesting.You will be grearly missed not only be your viewers,mostly by all your family members.Nobody will take your place in that part of investigating the different types of wildlife,& nature.
Posted by Rggou At 12:47 Sept.06,2006

[batfors]

My heart is heavy now that Steve is gone. He was a tireless conservationist who wanted everyone to be touch by animals like he was. He taught so many people that even though an animal was not furry, cute and cuddly it still had a right to be loved and have efforts made to save it. I pray that the whole Irwin family and staff at Australia Zoo be given the strength, love and courage that they need right now. Steve, say hello to Mary for me. I know you are sitting next to her. Crocs Rule!!!!

[twinella47]

Dear Steve you will be missed, but you will not be forgotten. There was NEVER a man like you and will NEVER be, that took so many risks to educate us, to entertain us, to put us so close with wild life, all animals and just to enjoy Mother Nature. You will be missed by me and the Whole World. Sorry you had to go so soon. The Good and the Great die young. You died doing what you love the most, but it is sad that you had to go doing what you loved. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. You will always be remembered as the Greatest Naturalist of our time.

[crocsrule-2009]

bunionbabe, you have to be one of the most heartless people I have ever known about in this world. I mean, What is it to you to go along spreading your hate and discontent about people? Has this man ever done anything to you personnally? Why the attacks? I don't know anything about Steve Irwin's education and frankly to me it doesn't matter. I have worked around alot of people in my life, both highly educated and non educated. And most of the time, the ones with less "college education"are the ones that seem to know more about what they are talking about, provided that they had worked and gotten the training,"on the job ". It has to do with something called common sense and job knowledge, which is as far as I'm concerned what Steve had. Believe me, I would trust someone with my life much more completely that has worked and gotten their training by working in the field for years rather than to trust my life to someone that can just say they have a degree in whatever...To me it sounds like you have more of a problem with jealosy about someone who has happened to in the right place and time and they are very successful. Are they getting more Airtime than you are?? Please do us all a favor and button your lip!! This man was more of a human being than you seem to be....

[crocsrule-2009]

First of all, anyone with negative comments should at least pick a better time to be expressing their opinions about this man. Regardless to how you view him, you should respect his family thru this time and not post any belittling and negative things. If it were you and your family member has been taken, regardless to how it happened, it's still a very painfull time to go thru. How would you like it if your family was going thru this and there were people out there saying things like this? It only further adds to the pain and grief they are going thru. Come on now, Please try to show a little compassion and respect for the family during this time of grief! You have plenty of time LATER to express your views and negatism...As for me and my house, all I can say about this right now is "We will miss you Steve" G-Day Mate!!