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Stingray kills 'Crocodile Hunter'

SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Steve Irwin, the TV presenter known as the "Crocodile Hunter," has died after being stung by a stingray in a marine accident off Australia's north coast.

Media reports say Irwin was diving in waters off Port Douglas, north of Cairns, when the incident happened on Monday morning.

Irwin, 44 was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest, according to Cairns police sources. Irwin was filming an underwater documentary at the time.

Ambulance officers confirmed they attended a reef fatality Monday morning off Port Douglas, according to Australian media. (Watch scenes of Irwin, known for his his enthusiasm, support for conservation -- 2:49)

Queensland Police Services also confirmed Irwin's death and said his family had been notified. Irwin was director of the Australian Zoo in Queensland.

He is survived by his American-born wife Terri and their two children, Bindi Sue, born 1998, and Robert (Bob), born December 2003.

Irwin became a popular figure on Australian and international television through Irwin's close handling of wildlife, most notably the capture and relocation of crocodiles.

Irwin's enthusiastic approach to nature conservation and the environment won him a global following. He was known for his exuberance and use of the catch phrase "Crikey!"

But his image suffered a setback in January 2004 when he held his then 1-month-old baby Bob while feeding a crocodile at his Australian zoo. (Full story)

In a statement released to Australian media, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer expressed his sorrow and said that he was fond of Irwin and was very appreciative of all the work he had done in promoting Australia overseas.

In 2003, Irwin spoke to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.'s Australian Story television program about how he was perceived in his home country.

"When I see what's happened all over the world, they're looking at me as this very popular, wildlife warrior Australian bloke," he said, the ABC reported.

"And yet back here in my own country, some people find me a little bit embarrassing. "You know, there's this... they kind of cringe, you know, 'cause I'm coming out with 'Crikey' and 'Look at this beauty.'"

:(

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OMG this is horrible i loved that guy........ he was so entertaining... ... i feel horrible for his wife....... shes in the biz as well. i wonder if she will give it up now or carry on his legacy .......

the guy had major cojones

Teaching everyone about the importance of the environment and our world's wildlife. he was my fav.........

Steve-holding-croc.jpg

Steve Irwin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Witnesses tell of freak death of Steve Irwin | NEWS.com.au

Godspeed Steve Irwin there def is a place for you in heaven.

a Big CRIKEY TO Mr. Irwin

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YUP !!! He , unlike Austin Stevens that is a prick and thinks he's the shit .. I found it so hillarious when he "WAS" taunting a cobra and got bit .. He cried like a little bitch !! And said it was over for him , that he was quitting if he made it from the bite,, Well the fucker made it and kept on .. Id of "PROBABLY" had a little more respect for him if he did quit after that .. But he continues to make crappy documentaries ... Steve Irwin respected the animals he worked with and dies by an animal that "RARELY" kills anyone.. I know a few people stung by rays and just barely lost some muscle tissue.. And one of the biggest animal handlers in the world dies by a freakish accident like this ?? Thats the worst news ive ever heard (like someone said earlier) since 9/11 R.I.P Steve !! You were the man in my book !!

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heres a little more for you guys to read

THE AGE (Melbourne, Australia) 04 September 06 Daredevil Irwin dies doing what

he loved

Wildlife warrior Steve Irwin was a daredevil who loved flirting with danger

around deadly animals.

But after years of close shaves it was a normally harmless stingray which

finally claimed his life on Monday, plunging a barb into the Crocodile Hunter's

chest as he snorkelled in shallow water on the Great Barrier Reef.

The 44-year-old TV personality may have died instantly when struck by the

stingray while filming a sequence for his eight-year-old daughter Bindi's new TV

series, friends believe.

"You think about all the documentaries we've made and all the dangerous

situations that we have been in, you always think `is this it, is this a day

that maybe his demise?'," said his friend and manager John Stainton.

"(But) nothing would ever scare Steve or would worry him. He didn't have a fear

of death at all."

Mr Irwin made his international reputation wrestling crocodiles and snakes.

But the flamboyant naturalist's final confrontation with a wild animal occurred

at Batt Reef off Port Douglas on Monday morning, where he had been filming a new

documentary, "Ocean's Deadliest".

Taking time off from the main project, Mr Irwin was swimming in shallow water,

snorkelling as his cameraman filmed large bull rays.

"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," said Mr Irwin's friend and

manager John Stainton.

"It's likely that he possibly died instantly when the barb hit him, and I don't

think that he ... felt any pain.

"He died doing what he loved best."

Mr Irwin's death was only the third known stingray death in Australian waters,

said shark and stingray expert Victoria Brims.

Wildlife experts said the normally passive creatures only sting in defence,

striking with a bayonet-like barb when they feel threatened.

Marine documentary maker Ben Cropp, who spoke to one of Mr Irwin's crew, said:

"Steve got probably maybe a bit too close to the ray, and with the cameraman in

front, the ray must have felt sort of cornered.

"It went into a defensive mode, stopped, turned around and lashed out with its

tail, which has a considerable spike on it.

"Unfortunately Steve was directly in its path and he took a fatal wound."

Unconscious, Mr Irwin was pulled aboard his research vessel, Croc One, for a

30-minute dash to Low Isle, where an emergency helicopter had been summoned at

about 11am, his Australia Zoo said in a statement.

The crew of the Croc One performed constant CPR during the voyage to Low Isle,

but medical staff pronounced Mr Irwin dead about noon.

Mr Irwin's body was flown to a morgue in Cairns, where stunned family and

friends were gathering on Monday night.

His American-born wife Terri was told of her husband's death while on a walking

tour in Tasmania, and returned to the Sunshine Coast with her two children,

Bindi and three-year-old son Bob.

The death of the larger than life Mr Irwin, best known for his catchcry

"Crikey!", caused shockwaves around the world, leading TV bulletins in the

United States and Britain.

He was one of Australia's best known personalities internationally and an

ambassador for the nation and its wildlife.

Mr Irwin was also a global phenomenon, making almost 50 documentaries which

appeared on the cable TV channel Animal Planet, and which generated books,

interactive games and even toy action figures.

Prime Minister John Howard said: "I am quite shocked and distressed at Steve

Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death. It's a huge loss to Australia.

"He was a wonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought

joy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people."

Mourners laid flowers at the entrance of Mr Irwin's Australia Zoo, on

Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Mr Stainton said bad weather had stopped the filming for their documentary about

some of the world's deadliest sea creatures.

Mr Irwin instead decided on a whim to shoot footage for his daughter Bindi's

upcoming series.

"He said 'I might just go off and shoot some segments for Bindi's show, just

stuff on the reef and little animals," Mr Stainton said.

"I just said fine, anything that would keep him moving and keep his adrenalin

going.

"The next thing I heard on the radio was there was a medical emergency, the

little dinghy he was in was bringing him back with the crew.

"Everyone tried absolutely tirelessly to revive him to keep him alive, we cut

dinghies loose and made it post haste to Low Isle where we knew the chopper

would be able to get in, but I think it's possible he probably died at 11am."

Diver Pete West was on a nearby boat and believed Mr Irwin may have been alive

when pulled from the water.

"He was doing what he did best and unfortunately today he wasn't quick enough,"

he told the Seven Network.

University of Melbourne expert Bryan Fry said stingrays only sting in defence.

"They're not aggressive animals so the animal must have felt threatened. It

didn't sting out of aggression, it stung out of fear," said Dr Fry, deputy

director of the Australian Venom Research.

He said the stingray would have been up to 2.5 metres across, with a

"formidable" jagged barb up to 20cm long, capable of tearing flesh.

"It's not the going in, it's the coming out," Dr Fry said of the serrated barb.

But the stingray's venom would not have been a factor.

Mr Irwin was comfortable around animals, no matter how dangerous, and some

wildlife experts warned he took too many risks.

His enthusiasm and daring made him famous.

The Melbourne-born father of two's Crocodile Hunter program was first broadcast

in 1992 and has been shown around the world on cable network Discovery.

He also starred in movies and helped develop the Australia Zoo wildlife park,

north of Brisbane, which was started by his parents Bob and Lyn Irwin.

He grew up near crocodiles, trapping and removing them from populated areas and

releasing them in his parents' park, which he took over in 1991.

Bob was involved in a controversial incident in January 2004, when his father

held his infant son in one arm as he fed a dead chicken to a crocodile at

Australia Zoo.

Child welfare and animal rights groups criticised his actions as irresponsible

and tantamount to child abuse.

Mr Irwin said any danger to his son was only a perceived danger and that he was

in complete control of the situation.

In June 2004, Mr Irwin came under fire again when it was alleged he came too

close to and disturbed some whales, seals and penguins while filming a

documentary in Antarctica.

Mr Irwin was also a tourism ambassador and was heavily involved in last year's

"G'Day LA" tourism campaign.

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said Mr Irwin was an "extraordinary man".

"He has made an enormous difference to his state and his country," he said.

Daredevil Irwin dies doing what he loved - Breaking News - National - Breaking News

Allen Salzberg

HerpDigest.org

Subscribe now To The Only

E-zine That Reports on

The Latest News

on Herpetological

Conservation and Science

(Two issues a week).

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