The Crocadile Hunter Died

[mdvaldosta]

Wow, amazing. I guess the stuff he does really is dangerous

Steve Irwin, the quirky Australian naturalist who won worldwide acclaim as TV's khaki-clad "Crocodile Hunter," was killed by a stingray barb through the heart while filming a new documentary on Monday.

Irwin, 44, tangled with some of the world's most dangerous animals but he died in an extremely rare attack by a normally placid sea creature while he was diving on a reef off Port Douglas in northern Queensland.

"He came over the top of a stingray and the stingray's barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart," Irwin's shocked manager John Stainton told reporters in Cairns, south of Port Douglas.

A helicopter rushed paramedics to nearby Low Isles where Irwin was taken for treatment, but he was dead before they arrived, emergency officials said.
"It became clear fairly soon that he had non-survivable injuries," Dr. Ed O'Loughlin, who treated Irwin, told Nine Network television.

"He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest. He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing," he said.

Irwin's death was likely only the third recorded fatal stingray attack in Australia, experts said. They said stingray venom was agonizingly painful but not lethal, although the barb was capable of causing horrific injuries like a knife or bayonet.

"It's not the going in, it's the coming out," Australian Venom Research Unit deputy director Dr Bryan Fry told Reuters.

"They have these deep serrations which tear and render the flesh as it comes out," he said.

"CRIKEY"

It's a sad day. I still can't believe it, would have never expected him to die 'on the job'. Full story here.

 

[hhayes]

and to die from a stingray??? damn

 

[Homer]

really you would think it would have been a croc not a sting ray , still sad.

 

[OUZBnd]

I read that this morning. Sad to hear, and very unfortunate

 

[xZrats]

We knew it was going to happen eventually. I mean, escaping death so many times. RIP

 

[SilentEyz]

At least he Died doing what he loved, and you know he was enjoying life at the time.. that is more then most people will ever be able to say

 

[supn9]

We knew it was going to happen eventually. I mean, escaping death so many times. RIP

we knew?

 

[andcuriouser]

That's really sad.

But to be honest, I would have been a little disappointed if he had've died normally. Like, of a heart attack or something.

 

[hhayes]

yeah at least he died doing what he loved doing ya know

 

[lemon]

no better way to kick the bucket

 

[R.A.T. Army]

Truly a tragedy for the animal rights movement. He was a huge voice and public figure in that area. Hopefully his zoo and the programs he started will keep his dream alive.

R.I.P. Steve

__________________

 

[Veronica]

True.. He died doing something he loved. I guess if there is a way to go, its when your happy.

 

[trope]

I was flicking through the news the other day and just heard, "stingrays are generally peaceful animals..." and went past.

Then I found out what it was all about, and just felt terrible. He was huge for animal rights and everything. What a terrible loss.

 

[elluko]

Im gonna miss him. brave and courageous, its a shame.

 

[elluko]

I hope so.

 

[Homer]

i was just watching it on Animal Planet, it's on every day.

 

[Hurt911gen]

I don't care, people die all the time.

 

[Dodge_Sniper]

Ass. Steve Irwin was awesome. RIP

 

[Homer]

the world was a better place with him on it, rest in peace Steve.

 

[Peter Parka]

Sad thread but worth a bump. Been to his zoo twice, guy was a legend, even if the Aussies hated him until he died.