Aussies--Sorry for the loss of Steve O/T

I feel the same.

HC Sakman - Victoria, BC-CDN


>I am a big fan of nature shows and documanteries. As he appeared in his TV shows, I really, really liked him. he was very entertaining yet educational at the same time. A gift/talent not many posses.

He had it coming though. As the old saying goes... Playing with fire and you may burn, well he fried himself. It's very unfortunate.

They say: "He died while doing what he loved to do." Well... I bet he loved his beautiful children more than that stingray or cobras, crocs and bunch of other dangerous creatures he was fondling with and he left behind whom he loved the most.

It's just very sad.

Chico...

Re: I feel the same.

Thom D


>4000 people are killed every year on motorcycles, in the US. This tragedy may be more conspicuous, but I don't think his zest for adventure is all that unusual. Pretty fluky event to read much into.

Rest in Peace.

"playing with fire" is a bit much ...

Ian (in Sydney, Australia)


>The incident was caught on video

The local national radio is carrying a report that police who have viewed the footage say Irwin was snorkling near a stingray but appears not to have menanced or provoked it. The ray flicked its tail and caught Steve in the chest. Irwin is seen removing the barb from his chest and then collapsing. While, as I write, an autopsy report has not been released it appears that the ray's barb pierced Irwin's heart.

In retrospect it could have happened to any one snorkling on The Reef (as we locals refer to The Great Barrier Reef). Thousands (maybe hundreds of thousands) snorkle on the Reef each year to see the coral, reef fish, sharks and rays. It's not that uncommon for people to accidently step on a ray and catch a barb in the leg.

While Irwin certainly was larger than life and made his reputation chasing crocs, his death (from what is currently known) appears to have been the sort of accident that could have befallen any tourist, not the result of deliberately putting himself in harm's way.

Re: "playing with fire" is a bit much ...

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX


>You're playing the odds when you muck about with dangerous beings. Just think how alive that grizzly bear guy and his girlfriend would be if he'd stopped messing with grizzlies a week before a particularly ill tempered one decided to eat them. Or had never started annoying them. Same with Irwin and his favorite targets. That indeed is part of our attraction, that at any moment some guy can get killed. Well, some guy can, [edited by Moderator].

Pam

A great loss

Ron in Kokomo


>Our family are all big Steve Irwin Fans. A real conservationist and friend to the animals. Sorry to read the judgementalism above.

Ron

thanks for the information

bill tindall


>I have family that dives and they were all anxious to know the details of the tragic event. I will pass your note on to them.

Re: "playing with fire" is a bit much ...

Ian Smith (Sydney Australia)


>The scary thing is that he was doing something many of us have done (snorkelling) and something many people do every day. According to Queensland police, who have reviewed video footage of the incident, Steve wasn't intimidating the stingray that ultimately killed him. If he'd been wrestling a croc or some other equally dangereous creature then I think it would be easier to come to terms with his death.

I think his death is really sad and I feel for his wife and two young children.

Regards,

Ian.

Re: "playing with fire" is a bit much ...

Thom D


>"If he'd been wrestling a croc or some other equally dangerous creature then I think it would be easier to come to terms with his death."

Though that would throw into question his whole life's work, professional competence, and undermine whatever they may still do with the zoo. This way it's just a fluke, could have happened to anyone. One has to deal with the normal feelings around an accident, but nothing that puts his legacy at risk. Any guy as out there are he was could have had a car or plane accident just getting around.

Read it carefully Ron

HC Sakman - Victoria, BC-CDN


>Whenever I was watching his shows... I kept cringing myself thinking that he'll be hurt any given moment. I guess one of his goals was keeping viewers like me on the edge of their seats.

I know he was an animal lover, like many others who do this kind of activities. Probably his fascination with these creatures pushed him to be always one step closer to them.

I loved the guy and all I was saying that he kept pushing the boundaries with these animals and it's very unfortunate that one of them got him in the prime of his life. That ray would have hit him in the leg, instead of his chest. That's utterly unfortunate. What else can I say?

I am sad about this loss indeed as well as the beautiful family he left behind.

I am not being judgemental, just telling the way it is.

God bless them all.

Chico...

Obituary

bill tindall


>There was an Obit, front page of our local paper, and another on editorial page of Wall Street Journal. A good indication of the breadth of following this Aussy ambassador had with most people in the US. Both commented on his infectious enthusiasm for his work. Imagine if he had chosen woodworking, and instead of Norm...........

Extraordinary Enthusiast

Tom Colligan


>Thanks, Ian, for your nice input. As a herp collector for the last 35 years I've had a fascination with one snake above all: the Black Mamba in Africa. In one episode Steve was in a jeep when a radio call said a mamba was in a hut in a village he was driving toward. Surely this was somewhat staged but it wasn't once he got into the wooden shack. He had a small piece of shrubbery in one hand and teased the snake with it and keeping it in a corner. Eventually, Steve caught it up with his other hand and without any of the normal tools used in picking up hot snakes. At the end, he wiped his face as he was thoroughly soaked with sweat. In any of the documentaries I've seen involving the Black Mamba none of the naturualists would have thought of doing anything like this.

Re: Extraordinary Enthusiast

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX


>In any of the documentaries I've seen involving the Black Mamba none of the naturualists would have thought of doing anything like this.

Tom, is this good/admirable? I don't know for sure one way or the other in this particular incident; but I do know there are lots of tricks involved in more or less safely filming human-wildlife encounters (I spend a lot of time with Attenborough wildlife films and DVD special features).

Pam

Attenborough and Irwin

Paul M. in San Diego


>Cue David Attenborough in a low monotone golf announcer voice:

And here we have the most dangerous snake.... the Black Mamba. These need to be treated with the ultimate respect due to the sensitive nature of thier lives and the impact of the environment on these magnificent and rare specimens. Lets sit back and gaze on their beauty and wonder from a safe distance.

Cue Steve Irwin, diving into the picture and grabbing the snake behind the head:

CRIKEY! ISN'T SHE A BEAUUUUTY! What a WONDERFUL Snake. One bite and your a DEAD man! Look at David flinch when I wave this BEAUTY under his nose! Look at him run as he dives for cover behind the camera man!

I'll miss Steve a lot. I greatly enjoyed his shows and enjoyed the passion he brought to his craft.

OT... Hey Pam!!!

Conger � the Irish diaspora in Munich

Re: Attenborough and Irwin

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX


>I never watched Irwin, don't even know if he was available outside cable; but the little I've seen shows someone a bit hot for my TV tastes, way too frantic. I prefer to generate my own enthusiasm. Probably a real nice guy and all that, probably a conservationist; but the stunts I've seen (again, just the stuff shown on the news, like baby dangling) did nothing for conservation and certainly were unappealing to me. I don't like to see people, especially children, put in harm's way. This is most likely genetic, my Dad couldn't even watch Lassie. :)

Attenborough, otoh, informs and often gets just as close to the animals as Irwin; although some of it appears to be front projection. He never would say what you suggest. Instead he'd be cavorting with blue whales, investigating ant and termite mounds (see the one where he caused the ants to spray formulin by waving a wand?), interacting with birds of all sorts, showing new research into how lions and other cats actually hunt, etc.

It's all a show vs content debate. I prefer content. I gather that most people prefer show.

Pam

Conger, you came back. :)

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX

Re: Attenborough and Irwin

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia


>Irwin got in hot water by cavorting with whales in the Aussie waters.

I gather messing with whales anywhere now is regarded badly. Attenborough was ahead of the game here and missed the stress.JR

Conger,where have you been?!

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native Now in FL. :~(

Anybody remember Marlin Perkins?

bill tindall


>In my youth it was Marlin(sp?) (Wild Kingdom) catching the snakes and I loved to watch the show. I can still picture the snake fangs thrust through the cover of the collection jar and the "milked" venom dripping into the collection vessel. Way cool I thought. It was likely Marlin that taught me to not fear, and indeed respect snakes. It was Marlin that got me snake bit.

We were returning from a river trip maintaining the wood duck boxes-checking roofs adding beddding. They nest in trees you know. Well, on the way home there was a huge black snake trying to cross a 4 lane highway traveled by 95% snake- hateing red-necks who were too ignorant to watch Marlin and learn about snakes. Stop, I says to Perry and jumped out of the truck with sack and stick. I had seen Marlin do this a dozen times. I distracted the snake and grabbed him right behind the head. I missed some key part of the show though, because the ungrateful snake turned its head and bit me on my thumb. Alarmed, the other hand came to the rescue and the damn snake let go of the thumb and swallowed a finger. More alarmed I yanked it out. There are a thousand razor blades in a snake mouth. Blood poured from the finger. Perry was laughing so hard he nearly fell out on the road. I got the impertinent beast into the sack and let him go in my wood pile where I hope he caught at least one mouse.

Careful Bill, you are showing your age...

Martin from Granbury


>I loved old Marlin.

We used to joke about him saying. "Now, while I go driving around looking for more critters, I'll let Steve (I think that was his name) wrestle the alligator into the truck for relocation." Steve always got to do the dirty jobs, and was the original TV alligator wrestler.

Marlin filmed at Philmont Scout Ranch during the 1960's. They still play the film for the staff from time to time. It is a hoot. The editing makes it look like he found every species of animal in New Mexico in a 100 yard radius. Then in the credits, there is a big thank you to the San Diego Zoo! Hmm, perhaps old Marlin never made it out of base camp.

I was bummed when he died, too.

Some may not have liked his methods, but I think Steve Irwin served an important role in wildlife education, and he will be missed by lots of kids who grew up watching his shows.

In his last years on TV

Bill Houghton, foggy mornings in Sebastopol, CA


>my sons (30 and 34 now, so not all that old) were glued to the TV when his show was on. Can't say either of them visibly learned snake wrestling or anything, but they enjoyed the show.

Re: Anybody remember Marlin Perkins?

Pam Niedermayer - Austin, TX


>So now you know the origin of the phrase now used on every one of these shows: Don't try this at home. :)

Pam

Re: Anybody remember Marlin Perkins?

Todd Hughes


>"....on the way home there was a huge black snake trying to cross a 4 lane highway traveled by 95% snake- hateing red-necks who were too ignorant to watch Marlin and learn about snakes. Stop, I says to Perry and jumped out of the truck with sack and stick. I had seen Marlin do this a dozen times. I distracted the snake and grabbed him right behind the head. I missed some key part of the show though, because the ungrateful snake turned its head and bit me on my thumb. Alarmed, the other hand came to the rescue and the damn snake let go of the thumb and swallowed a finger. More alarmed I yanked it out. There are a thousand razor blades in a snake mouth. Blood poured from the finger..."

Yup....those ignorant , stupid "Snake Hateing Red- Necks" sure don't know what they are a missing , eh? .....Todd

my point exactly....

bill tindall