Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin dead

Read the news article linked... It contains all the details I mentioned, as described by those who were THERE.

sorry pal but you like most tools are misled

irwin did not love nature

he loved only his ego

if you ever saw any of his lame ass clips you and opened your eyes maybe one day you will understand

Here's the details:

Footage of the attack shows Irwin swimming above a 2.5m stingray before it turns on him and sends a poisonous barb through his heart.

Producer, director and life-long friend John Stainton yesterday said Irwin did not provoke the stingray and was simply swimming above it when he was attacked.

"He came over the top of a stingray and the stingray barb went up and into his chest and into his heart," Stainton said.

"It's likely that he possibly died instantly when the barb hit him, and I hope he felt no pain."

One of Irwin's contemporaries, internationally known cameraman and spearfisherman Ben Cropp, was in his own boat off Port Douglas when Irwin was killed.

"I have just spoken to a cameraman friend who was there and has seen the footage," Mr Cropp told The Australian last night.

"He was up in the shallow water, probably 1.5m to 2m deep, following a bull ray which was about a metre across the body - probably weighing about 100kg, and it had quite a large spine.

"The cameraman was filming in the water."

Mr Cropp said the stingray was spooked and went into defensive mood.

"It probably felt threatened because Steve was alongside and there was the cameraman ahead, and it felt there was danger and it baulked.

"It stopped and went into a defensive mode and swung its tail with the spike.

"Steve unfortunately was in a bad position and copped it.

"I have had that happen to me, and I can visualise it - when a ray goes into defensive, you get out of the way.

"Steve was so close he could not get away, so if you can imagine it - being right beside the ray and it swinging its spine upwards from underneath Steve - and it hit him.

How long until footage of the attack leaks to Youtube?

you guys are all nuts. how could you talk so much trash about someone who has passed away? its obvious he enjoyed what he did, helpful or not, and was a decent guy. and still you talk trash about him. sickos.

no one is trashing him.

he was quite an interesting fellow, sad about his tragic death.

I met Irwin and his wife when he came to a small New Zealand primary school (Turua) in the Hauraki Plains.

His first series had just aired and he was celebrity guest.

We lined up with our 7 year old son to get the big croc poster autographed, and when it was our turn I expected him to be all mouth, jumping around hyperactive style.

On the contrary; the guy was like a fish out of water.

Very quite and shy; Terri said more than Steve, and she didn’t say a lot.

His show acts, were just that, an act.

I don’t hold anything against him, but I can visualise him hovering right over the Sting Ray, saying

“ Crikey mate; I’ll just see how close I can get to the big fella. Check that barb out; that thing is lethal !

Kids definitely don’t try this at home”

wayward lassie wrote:

no one is trashing him.

he was quite an interesting fellow, sad about his tragic death.

No one is trashing him?

You definitely haven't seen what "Animal Lover" wrote. He is about the only one dissing him.

Steve was a great guy. He was an animal lover. He loved God's creatures. RIP.

NativeSon wrote:

Steve was a great guy.

How do you know what kind of guy he was, because of something you saw on television?! Interesting.

Coach D wrote:

From what I've read, getting stung by a Ray is bad news, no matter how it happens.

Not that I would call it good news, but I have been stung by a ray, one thats body was about 2 feet across, so not as big.

It was painful as hell for about 2 hours but I just soaked it in salt water and apllied iodine to the wound, I ran the next day.

Steve's death was a very freak incident, he would have been fine had it not hit his heart. The posion probably had nothing to do with his death, most likely it was simply the fact that he was stabbed in the heart.

Here is the deal with Steve for all of you that don't know...

His televisiona nd movie antics were simply to raise money for conservation and education on wildlife and the environment. He did a lot more than simply prod animals in front of a camera. If you ever get a chance to visit his animal sanctuary in Queensland, you will understand.

Anyone here been there?

His entire famly was dedicated to the preservation of animals and their habitats.

I have no idea if he was personally a good man, but his life's work was much more benevolent than mine.

That's sad. He pulled the barb out himself. I wonder if he would have survived if he kept the barb in and went to the hospital. In a lot of cases the object will keep you alive until the doctors can work on you. But, if it pierced his heart he would be done for.

do you realize he was playing with a 100kg bull ray? You would not be fine if it just missed your heart. If that thing hit you anywhere in the chest cavity and you wern't right by shore theres a good chance you wouldn't be walking off that beach. Those things can penetrate Kayaks!

I once saw a video of a woman in Oklahoma who survived a metal rod having flown through her head during a tornado. It's amazing how strong the human body is. Doctors always say not to touch an object that has penetrated a person's body. Even if it has penetrated a vital organ, sometimes you can live through it.

crikey!

if he had just dangled his ONE MONTH OLD BABY a little closer, i would have had a nice snack. . .

crikey!

I never understood how harassing animals makes one a conservationist. That guy was like a circus performer. Punching, poking and wresting animals does not qualify as nature friendly in my book.

Slider wrote:

I never understood how harassing animals makes one a conservationist. That guy was like a circus performer. Punching, poking and wresting animals does not qualify as nature friendly in my book.

exactly. so what, i say. the animals are far better off without him poking around.

i love how you call yourself animal lover, maybe you should just call yourself stupid animal loverhe was a conservationist, he used some of his money to help preserve WL, without a doubt i would say an animal lover would like this guy even if he got to stroke his ego some in doing it... so what, this guys helped more animals than he hurt which is more than i can say for most other humans on this planet

animal lover wrote:

sorry pal but you like most tools are misled

irwin did not love nature

he loved only his ego

if you ever saw any of his lame ass clips you and opened your eyes maybe one day you will understand

We live in a sick, sick world.

One television station here in Brisbane has a phone in on whether the video of his death should be released.The attitude seems to be F**k his family,we arseholes will make money from his death.

Has been, sixties agitator/womens libber Germaine Greer has chimed in with her bullshit as well.

Is nothing sacred?

Love or detest the man his family deserves some respect.