RIP Steve Irwin...crikey

[42]

At least he didn't die of something mundane like cancer.

[Chimera]

I just saw this on Yahoo, my homepage. Here's their article. Gosh, this makes me sad. It does seem appropriate for him to die while doing what he loved--filming dangerous creatures--but it still is tragic. I kind of saw the Crocodile Hunter as invincible. So sad.  

[Faster Master St. Pastor]

I know, I feel like my whole world view is shattered; Crocodile Hunter not invicible?! What is the world coming to?

[Shrain]

So, I heard the news on my neighbor's TV while she was calling AAA to come tow my car and can I just say that I have to hand it to Irwin. I mean, a poison stingray tail speared through the heart is one helluva poetic way to go out! And, well, I suppose it was just a matter of time before his invincibility shield ran out...

[PixelFish]

I really really did not expect to see that headline this soon. And it really saddens me in a way.

From the CNN article on his death:

"He has left a legacy: That people do love some of the unloved animals like crocodiles and reptiles that people wanted to kill," Stainton told CNN. "He's actually put a position in their hearts for them. I want that to continue. ... I want people to really go out there and remember Steve Irwin for what he really was, which was a great conservationist, saving wildlife and actually promoting wildlife that people didn't love."

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/04/australia.irwin/index.html

[fuzzyoctopus]

I must be a heartless witch, but for heaven's sake look at what the man DID for a living?  We expected him to die any other way?  I feel horrible for his wife and children, but for him I feel only annoyance for putting his life on the line on a daily basis when he HAD a wife and two small children.

[42]

It kind of makes me feel like the real version of Tarzan or Green Arrow just died.

Yes, he did needlessly endanger his life (and on occassion the lives of others), but he had that whole heroic spirit thing going on that we as people can face danger head-on and be better for it.

[The Lost One]

Yes, Steve Irwin took risks but many of the risk were no worse then driving on the highway in a major city. Life is full of risks.

Personally, I'm shocked that he died from a stingray attack. I was sure that he would die from a snake bit or maybe from a salt water croc (that is assuming he didn't die in a car, plane or boating accident). Steve Irwin will now be known as one of the very, very few people to be killed by a stingray.

[Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock]

Ok, 42, you can't really say Green Arrow because he isn't going to get retconned back into the universe.

But I do agree, he had it coming to him. Quite unresponsible of himself to just up and die like that. Maybe next time he'll carry some antipoisons around with him.

[Faster Master St. Pastor]

You did read the part where it said stingray dart to the heart didn't you? That's going to make it very hard to recover from, regardless of any anti-venoms you have on you.

[Entsuropi]

Sad but somehow fitting.

And from what the wikipedia article says, normally stingrays are very safe (only 17 worldwide fatalities up til 1996) and about the only way it'll kill is if it goes into the heart and the poison stops it working instantly.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I'm kind of in the boat with Fuzzy. I mean, yeah, I don't celebrate the loss of a life.

but sad? you must be puttin' me on.

What I find amusing is that Australia is offering a state funeral. Apparently all you have to do to be entombed in state there is piss off a lot of animals. Of course, buried in state in Australia probably just means someone shows up with an air rifle to keep the dingoes away till the dirt is all piled on.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Im sad about it, the man knew a lot about reptiles and was usually much safer than he looked in the show.  His exuberence and excitement made many people more respectful of nature, and less likely to destroy animals who actually present little danger to humans.
He was an amazing conservationist, and his death was pretty shocking, considering the barb of the stingray pierced his heart.

I'll miss the days when I could here Steve say...
"This is the Cape Verde pit viper, the most poisonous snake in the world, and man does he love to bite... Im gonna put him in my mouth!"

[Maxwell]

Something isn't right about this... I mean how could that stingray have known his only weakness... it must have done it's homework...and of course it now has the blood of irwin on it's stinger, a modern day lance of longinus if you will.... it must be stopped before it raises an army of sushi(undead fish)  

[Princess_Luney]

I'm sad...I loved his show.  It was also one of my goals in life to go to the Australia Zoo and meet him.