Just amazing how he was in such dangerous situations and dies this way huh? He was a blessing...deb
-------------- Original message -------------- From: "Day Sutton" <day.sut...@gmail.com> > cross posted as "Off Topic" from another list. We will all miss him.. > > [Fwd: [BMDBreeder-l] Stingray kills 'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin] Inbox > > > Subject: [BMDBreeder-l] Stingray kills 'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin > > > > I know this is off topic but he'll be missed by millions of animal lovers. > > I feel a personal sadness at his loss. > > Dawn Gabig > > > > Stingray kills 'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin > > By BRIAN CASSEY, Associated Press Writer 3 minutes ago > > CAIRNS, Australia - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television > > personality and conservationist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed > > Monday by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44. > > > > Irwin was at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeastern Queensland > > state, shooting a segment for a series called "Ocean's Deadliest" when he > > swam too close to one of the animals, which have a poisonous barb on their > > tails, his friend and colleague John Stainton said. > > "He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into > > his > > chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who was on board > > Irwin's boat at the time. > > Crew members aboard the boat, Croc One, called emergency services in the > > nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to > > nearby > > Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead > > when they arrived a short time later, Stainton said. > > Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword > > "Crikey!" > > in his television program "Crocodile Hunter." First broadcast in Australia > > in 1992, the program was picked up by the Discovery network, catapulting > > Irwin to international celebrity. > > He rode his image into a feature film, 2002's "The Crocodile Hunters: > > Collision Course" and developed the wildlife park that his parents opened, > > Australia Zoo, into a major tourist attraction. > > "The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and > > one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns. > > "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and > > peaceful state of mind. He would have said, 'Crocs Rule!'" > > Prime Minister John Howard, who hand-picked Irwin to attend a gala barbecue > > to honor > > > > President Bush when he visited in 2003, said he was "shocked and distressed > > at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death." > > "It's a huge loss to Australia," Howard told reporters. "He was a wonderful > > character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He brought joy and > > entertainment and excitement to millions of people." > > Irwin, who made a trademark of hovering dangerously close to untethered > > crocodiles and leaping on their backs, spoke in rapid-fire bursts with a > > thick Australian accent and was almost never seen without his uniform of > > khaki shorts and shirt and heavy boots. > > Wild animal expert Jack Hanna, who frequently appears on TV with his > > subjects, offered praise for Irwin. > > "Steve was one of these guys, we thought of him as invincible," Hanna, > > director emeritus of the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo and Aquarium, told ABC's "Good > > Morning America" Monday. > > "The guy was incredible. His knowledge was incredible," Hanna said. "Some > > people that are doing this stuff are actors and that type of thing, but > > Steve was truly a zoologist, so to speak, a person who knew what he was > > doing. Yes, he did things a lot of people wouldn't do. I think he knew what > > he was doing." > > Irwin's ebullience was infectious and Australian officials sought him out > > for photo opportunities and to promote Australia internationally. > > His public image was dented, however, in 2004 when he caused an uproar by > > holding his infant son in one arm while feeding large crocodiles inside a > > zoo pen. Irwin claimed at the time there was no danger to the child, and > > authorities declined to charge Irwin with violating safety regulations. > > Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, a seal > > and > > humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary. Irwin denied any > > wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Department investigation > > recommended no action be taken against him. > > Stingrays have a serrated, toxin-loaded barb, or spine, on the top of their > > tail. The barb, which can be up to 10 inches long, flexes if a ray is > > frightened. Stings usually occur to people when they step on or swim too > > close to a ray and can be excruciatingly painful but are rarely fatal, said > > University of Queensland marine neuroscientist Shaun Collin. > > Collin said he suspected Irwin died because the barb pierced under his > > ribcage and directly into his heart. > > "It was extraordinarily bad luck. It's not easy to get spined by a stingray > > and to be killed by one is very rare," Collin said. > > News of Irwin's death spread quickly, and tributes flowed from all quarters > > of society. > > At Australia Zoo at Beerwah, south Queensland, floral tributes were dropped > > at the entrance, where a huge fake crocodile gapes. Drivers honked their > > horns as they passed. > > "Steve, from all God's creatures, thank you. Rest in peace," was written on > > a card with a bouquet of native flowers. > > "We're all very shocked. I don't know what the zoo will do without him. > > He's > > done so much for us, the environment and it's a big loss," said Paula > > Kelly, > > a local resident and volunteer at the zoo, after dropping off a wreath at > > the gate. > > Stainton said Irwin's American-born wife Terri, from Eugene, Ore., had been > > informed of his death, and had told their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son > > Bob, who will turn 3 in December. > > The couple met when she went on vacation in Australia in 1991 and visited > > Irwin's Australia Zoo; they were married six months later. Sometimes > > referred to as the "Crocodile Huntress," she costarred on her husband's > > television show and in his 2002 movie. > > http://www.crocodilehunter.com > > > > > -- > Day Sutton > day.sut...@gmail.com > > > -- > The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. > > Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org > > To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com > > Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com > > The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... > > List maintainer: Mike Devour > >
