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Steve Irwin

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falling rain

falling rain

Native
Oct 17, 2003
1,737
29
Woodbury Devon
What a massive shame and sad thing. He was a completely original character and great fun to watch.
I have to say though in the nicest possible way, it was only a matter of time really. He did antagonise dangerous wild animals a bit too much sometimes in my opinion, and get way too close. His well known catch phrase 'it's getting a little cranky' refering to a particular animal he was looking at was because Steve was making the animal so. Don't get me wrong I think he was a great bloke, and he's done massive amounts for conservation which is highly admirable but he did push animals a little too far sometimes. They should be observed from a distance and allowed to get on with their business without interferance. Anyway a truly sad piece of news and I'll say a prayer for his young family at their loss.
 
ArkAngel

ArkAngel

Native
May 16, 2006
1,201
22
50
North Yorkshire
Very sad news,

I was only watching one of his programmes yesterday.

His love and understanding of the animals he fought so hard to save was second to none.

He will be sadly missed
 
Buckshot

Buckshot

Mod
Mod
Jan 19, 2004
6,466
349
Oxford
A great shame.
I went to an RM lecture a couple of years ago and Ray was asked what he thought of Steve.
He said he's turned alot of people to nature and that can only be a good thing. :)
I think that's a very good way of putting it. A larger than life character that had a great love and belief for what he did - he was a lucky man and will be missed.
It's always sad when a life is taken early, especially when young children are left behind.

Mark
 
jdlenton

jdlenton

Full Member
Dec 14, 2004
3,002
7
50
Northampton
very sad news
he was a dedicated naturalist and father he made some ace TV the world has lost another amazing human being.

my thoughts go out to his wife and children
 
scruff

scruff

Maker
Jun 24, 2005
1,019
172
43
West Yorkshire
I too was sad to hear this news this morning and my thoughts are with his wife and child who were not with him at the time.

There was a phone interview with Nigel "Marvelous" Marven this morning on breakfast TV, who worked in a similar field to Steve.

He stated that the 'sting' form a sting ray is not that potent and would probably not fell a healthy, full grown adult, but that the barb of the ray can be as long as a kitchen knife. Some reports claim that Steve was hit in the chest by the barb and that it may have pierced his heart.

It was also noted that sting rays are also a very skittish creature and would normally scuttle away from danger or a perceived threat before resorting to 'attacking'. It would be interesting to find out more about the circumstances of this attack.

IIRC Mr Marven said up until now there has only been one recorded death by sting ray and that was in the 1940's.
 
S

Stuart1983

Member
Aug 23, 2006
10
0
40
Northumberland
I dont care what anyone says, Steve Erwin was a great bloke and its hard to believe this has happened, he had one of the last 'decent' programs i believe left on tv and will be a great loss, he had already used his 9 lives i guess but this is such a shame.
 
J

Jack

Full Member
Oct 1, 2003
1,264
6
Dorset
I too heard news as well first thing this morning.

It is always a sad day when someone dies. Most days go by when we hear of death somewhere....Iraq and Afghanistan to name a few.

I must buck the trend here and say that I am not surprised at all at SE has been killed, surely this was only a matter time, wasn't it? The news has made a great play on how he has left behind a young family and how sad it is for them. Well of course it is but this was his own selfish doing wasn't it? He had a high risk occupation and new it and he was also fully aware of the fact that he had a young family but that didn't stop him.

You can't have both and these people always have to push the boundaries - which in his chosen field, wasn't a clever thing to do..................
 
falling rain

falling rain

Native
Oct 17, 2003
1,737
29
Woodbury Devon
Jack said:
I too heard news as well first thing this morning.

It is always a sad day when someone dies. Most days go by when we hear of death somewhere....Iraq and Afghanistan to name a few.

I must buck the trend here and say that I am not surprised at all at SE has been killed, surely this was only a matter time, wasn't it? The news has made a great play on how he has left behind a young family and how sad it is for them. Well of course it is but this was his own selfish doing wasn't it? He had a high risk occupation and new it and he was also fully aware of the fact that he had a young family but that didn't stop him.

You can't have both and these people always have to push the boundaries - which in his chosen field, wasn't a clever thing to do..................
Click to expand...

I'd say 'selfish' is the wrong word to use here Jack. He was a fantastic character and did an awful lot for conservation. As I've said the guy did 'push it' a little sometimes with extremely potentially dangerous animals. (here's Steve handling an Inland Taipan which comes in at No 1 in the most venomous snakes chart picture number 8) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/5311848.stm Lots of people in dangerous proffesions have young families, but is a firefighter or trawlerman etc etc 'selfish'? It was his job and his family all knew it. 'Selfish' isn't a suitable word for the guy. He was evidently a very caring person to go to lenths he did for the wildlife on our planet.................just maybe he shouldn't have tried to interact quite so closely with them................but who's perfect :(
 
jdlenton

jdlenton

Full Member
Dec 14, 2004
3,002
7
50
Northampton
fair point jack and i'm sorry but i'm going to have to disagee with you and i dont want this thread to deteriorate in to a debate on dangerous ocupation verses family life but if it wasn't people like SE, Ranolph Fines, Chris Bonnington, Ayrton Senna, Alison Hargreaves, Michael Park, Bruce Parry and many others who choose to do dangerous life threatening/taking things some with families some without where would humanity be and who would people like myself who have a family and gave up doing those things look to for inspiration and motivation
its true that his family will pay a price for his death but he worked very closely with his wife and she new the risks he was taking and continued to accept this. Selfish I'm not sure a man dedicated to what he saw as his life's work who in doing what he loved to do died doing it.

what ever its a shame
 
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