Gonna rain on this parade.
Sad that a man died, and a such a character as well.
BUT all through viewing his shows all these years, I've always asked why he doesn't just LEAVE the poor snakes, crocs, etc alone? Yes they're beautiful animals, but isn't it strange that he terrorizes them, grabs them by the tail, drags them out of the holes they're HIDING in, and forces his attention on them, against their will?
I prefer nature shows where they LEAVE the animals alone, instead of manhandling them and exposing them to incredible stress, all for the sake of a TV show.
What was he doing in such a proximity to a STINGray? These are NOT aggressive animals, and they only attack when they feel threatened. The only conceivable position for him to have been stung in the chest is if he was trying to ride one, and the animal reacted in the only way it knows how to defend itself, by bucking its stinger upward. I've heard of only one previous incident in which a man was unthinking enough to have tried to ride a stingray. And yes, he got a barb through the heart for it as well.
Flame away...
The man is dead - he left behind a wife and two small children. I understand your opinion, and I agree with you concerning nature shows (wish they were more like the old NOVA and Nat'l Geo specials, but I think it better to hold off on criticism of him or his actions in order to show respect for his death. Also, I don't think anyone is mad at the sting ray. It is still a sad thing - death, regardless of how it happened.
I almost didn’t believe this thread…I looked and it was pretty hard for me to find news of his death…but it’s there. So sad, spent his whole life with wildlife…and finally was able to do what he wanted with his own park…wish I could have seen him once. Truly an amazing person.
What was he doing in such a proximity to a STINGray? These are NOT aggressive animals, and they only attack when they feel threatened. The only conceivable position for him to have been stung in the chest is if he was trying to ride one, and the animal reacted in the only way it knows how to defend itself, by bucking its stinger upward. I've heard of only one previous incident in which a man was unthinking enough to have tried to ride a stingray. And yes, he got a barb through the heart for it as well.
Before you get carried away, we don't know the details of how it happened yet, so please don't presume anything. A husband and father died and we don't need anyone to presume he was riding stingrays...
They said he was shooting a documentary to demystify the stingray and show how harmless they could be...pretty ironic. I feel sorry for his family and there lose.
What's really sad is the media broadcasting the news of his death prior to his wife being notified.
I thought the same thing . ..
Apparently we just heard on radio here in Melbourne that they had contacted the family first, but that wasn't completely clear as his wife was hiking in Cradle Mountain Tasmania which does not have very good/if any mobile phone network...
I am in a state of shock, disbelief, and also so saddned by this tragic news.
I am a huge fan of "Steves", and have meet him a couple of times at his Australian Zoo, it is in my back yard, as we live only ten minutes to that most wonderful "AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE CROCODILE PARK".....
So many people will miss this taller than life "Aussie" larakin, but most of all his beautiful wife, and two small children, are witout a wonderful husband and father.
Yesterday was Fathers Day here in Australia, so this is indeed a very sad time for all Australians, as we have lost a legend in Steve Irwin.
My condolences go out to his family, staff, and friends, who loved him.
What was he doing in such a proximity to a STINGray? These are NOT aggressive animals, and they only attack when they feel threatened. The only conceivable position for him to have been stung in the chest is if he was trying to ride one, and the animal reacted in the only way it knows how to defend itself, by bucking its stinger upward. I've heard of only one previous incident in which a man was unthinking enough to have tried to ride a stingray. And yes, he got a barb through the heart for it as well.
Before you get carried away, we don't know the details of how it happened yet, so please don't presume anything. A husband and father died and we don't need anyone to presume he was riding stingrays...
Fair enough.
What do you think he was doing near stingrays, given what else you've seen him do on the tele?
I think Steve Irwin was a horrid role model for kids. He pioneered the way wildlife tv personalities now treat wild animals, and I believe it's ridiculous to let children see that kind of manhandling of dangerous animals. Steve Irwin taught children to disrespect dangerous animals, and instead of the conservation message that he seemed to have put out, the real underlying message is that man can do whatever he wants with nature, including terrorize animals.
I find it sad that so many of you look at his death and his life with such an uncritical eye.
So if a photographer loves to take his images to the edge…doing things a bit dangerous just to get the photo perfect and ends up falling off a cliff or something and dies…is that what they had coming, they deserved it? Just don’t understand such talk…the man was doing what he loved and did it extremely well. He was one of the few that would get as close as he did to such creatures and let the world understand more. Don’t believe for one second he hurt one animal on purpose and know that if he ever did it would have hurt him more. The man had a huge heat very easily seen by all. Wish people could look and see that people have passions and just because we might not like doing it doesn’t mean they deserve whatever bad event happens to them for doing what they love. Don’t really want to single out anyone with this response just know that there are a few that feel they must state that.
ergo, I haven't watched the croc hunter much (we don't have a tv), but everytime I watched him, he said many times [paraphrase] "this animal is very dangerous. if you see one in the wild, he is more scared of you than you are of him, just let him be and move on."
i always got the impression that he wanted to show us a bit of the wildlife to diminish our fear of it so that we would respect it more and not be so vigilante about destroying it because it is dangerous and frightful.
I guess it is just a matter of perspective.
Would I do what he did? Heck, no, I still think a good snake is a dead snake, and there isn't a naturalist anywhere, i don'thtink that will make me change my mind. :)
So if a photographer loves to take his images to the edge…doing things a bit dangerous just to get the photo perfect and ends up falling off a cliff or something and dies…is that what they had coming, they deserved it? Just don’t understand such talk…the man was doing what he loved and did it extremely well. He was one of the few that would get as close as he did to such creatures and let the world understand more. Don’t believe for one second he hurt one animal on purpose and know that if he ever did it would have hurt him more. The man had a huge heat very easily seen by all. Wish people could look and see that people have passions and just because we might not like doing it doesn’t mean they deserve whatever bad event happens to them for doing what they love. Don’t really want to single out anyone with this response just know that there are a few that feel they must state that.
You don't think the snakes didn't like what Steve Irwin was doing to them? Tell me where you live. Let me come and against your will, a) grab you by the feet, b) drag you out of your house, c) choke-hold you while I parade you in front of a camera and d) talk about how "beautiful" you are, and how you're such an amazing creature.
Steve Irwin made MILLIONS doing what he did. I'm not saying he deserves what he got, but I am saying if you're going to evaluate his life, then EVALUATE it.
ergo, I haven't watched the croc hunter much (we don't have a tv), but everytime I watched him, he said many times [paraphrase] "this animal is very dangerous. if you see one in the wild, he is more scared of you than you are of him, just let him be and move on."
i always got the impression that he wanted to show us a bit of the wildlife to diminish our fear of it so that we would respect it more and not be so vigilante about destroying it because it is dangerous and frightful.
I guess it is just a matter of perspective.
Would I do what he did? Heck, no, I still think a good snake is a dead snake, and there isn't a naturalist anywhere, i don'thtink that will make me change my mind. :)
Hey Karmat,
What happened to doing what one preaches? He says to kids: Stay away from these snakes.
But then he grabs them and manipulates them? Karmically, that's just sad. Educationally, it's a mixed message at best. And I don't want MY kids confused about which message is for them.
Hasn't there been quite enough thread-jacking lately. It seems like this thread was initiated from the point of view of someone who wanted to discuss the loss of a life and not vilify or harangue others. If you want to discuss choices the individual made rather than simply acknowledge that a human who contributed to others in a way that was valued by many, then I wish an SC would remove the posts that are starting to appear inflammatory.
Steve Irwin may not have been a good man (apparently ergo's viewpoint) but he was absolutely acknowleged by more people than most of us in this post and if people want to join together in their collective memories of that person then you should be mature enough to respect that without forcing your agenda on people at a time that they're recounting what they enjoyed, appreciated or find distubing to think about living without.
