Crocodile Hunter Killed by Sting Ray

[Shark Tagger]

Well, the austrialian tv star messed with the wrong species this time.

Crocodile expert Steve Irwin has been killed by a stingray while diving off the Northeast coast of Australia.

The fish pierced the chest of TV's famous khaki-clad "Crocodile Hunter", while the 44-year-old was filming an underwater documentary off Port Douglas in northern Queensland.

A helicopter rushed paramedics to nearby Low Isles, about 1,260 miles north of Brisbane, where Irwin was taken for treatment, but he was dead before they arrived, police said.

Local diving operator Steve Edmonson, whose boats were out on the Great Barrier Reef when the accident happened, said: "Steve was hit by a stingray in the chest - he probably died from a cardiac arrest from the injury."

Toxicology experts said Irwin's death was more likely to be a result of the physical injury to his chest than the stingray's venom.

A stingray's strongly serrated barb can grow up to 20cm long and is capable of tearing and rendering flesh.

Dr Geoff Isbister, a clinical toxicologist at an Australian hospital, said: "What happened to Steve Irwin is like being stabbed in the heart.

"It has little to do with the venom and all to do with the trauma caused by the barb of the stingray.

"Although the venom may cause tissue damage, the physical trauma in this case would have been enough to cause a lethal injury."

Dr Bryan Fry, of the Australian Venom Research Unit in Melbourne, 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.

"The stingray's venom would not have been a factor. While extremely painful, stingray venom is rarely lethal."

The largest species of stingray can grow to about 4m in length or width and their tails are often twice as long as their bodies.

In 2004, Irwin caused outrage by holding his then one-month-old baby in front of a hungry crocodile. His TV series ended after he was criticised over the incident and also for allegedly disturbing whales, seals and penguins while filming in Antarctica.

[Capt Ted]

Heard about this on Stern this morning... Sorry to hear. Out of all the animals he messes with, i would of never guess the sting ray would of done him in.

[Uncle Buck]

That's a nasty way to go. What are the odds? :shock:

[Sword Donkey]

Poor Bugger,

As crazy as that guy was, you woulda thought a crock would have done him in. Sure he was asking for it with that sting ray.

[Broadbill-Pro]

that guy tormented the animals, surprised it didn't happen sooner. maybe the rest of the TV idiots will learn to respect a creature when it shows a clear sign that it will defend itself. I watch that guy tease a cobra into dozens of strikes, thats just stupid.

same goes for the dumbass that swims next to a billfish, that painter will be next.

[quack quack]

I feel bad for his family.Like the saying goes when your time is up it is up.I liked the guy or at least found him amusing until he carried his month old kid in to the croc pit with him.One slip and the kid was dead.

[Broadbill-Pro]

his show was entertaining, i watched it all the time. a bit like watching NASCAR, everyone just waits for the accident. wonder if that tape will get released?

i do feel for his wife and kids, but he does not deserve sympathy. he consistanty played with fire and he got burned. need to ask yourself if you had the responsibility of providing for 2 small children and a wife would you be so careless with your life?

and the baby in the croc pen should of had him arrested. anyway RIP

[Shark Tagger]

yea i'm sure it wont be long before the video is released.

RIP

[Disco Lady]

B.B I agree the painters next CONO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The BEAST]

Originally Posted by Broadbill-Pro

i do feel for his wife and kids, but he does not deserve sympathy. he consistanty played with fire and he got burned. need to ask yourself if you had the responsibility of providing for 2 small children and a wife would you be so careless with your life?

:idea: Kinda like going out in the middle of the ocean in the black of night to try and catch a fish that with one tail thrust could drag the leaderman overboard or thrust its bill into your chest while we are swinging sharp hooks and harpoons around the boat. :?: I think his demonstrations were in a much more controlled professional environment than the arena we like to play in.

Crikey, chit happens, Mate! When your # is up, you are outa here. Hopefully, he is wrestling Crocs in the big billabong in the sky.

Capt. Jim
The BEAST

[Nick C]

Originally Posted by The BEAST

:idea: Kinda like going out in the middle of the ocean in the black of night to try and catch a fish that with one tail thrust could drag the leaderman overboard or thrust its bill into your chest while we are swinging sharp hooks and harpoons around the boat. :?: I think his demonstrations were in a much more controlled professional environment than the arena we like to play in.

Crikey, chit happens, Mate! When your # is up, you are outa here. Hopefully, he is wrestling Crocs in the big billabong in the sky.

Capt. Jim
The BEAST

Well put Beast!

RIP

[Relentless33]

Originally Posted by Broadbill-Pro

his show was entertaining, i watched it all the time. a bit like watching NASCAR, everyone just waits for the accident. wonder if that tape will get released?

and the baby in the croc pen should of had him arrested. anyway RIP

Agreed, highly doubt that tape will be released with today's public. [-(

[on deck]

A really bad thing to happen for such an astute environmentalist. We should all be thankfull that he was around for such a long time to teach the ignorants of the world the beauty (and dangers) of the environment. I firmly believe that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few and that the animals that he "harassed" on his show actually served their purpose and enlightened millions of viewers worldwide. Crocks, stingrays and other wild animals are all beautifull and dangerous in their own right and Steve Irwin spent his whole life defending them and caring for them. I hope that I am lucky enough to go out with the thought that I enlightened at least one person to the environment, let alone the millions that he did.
Tight lines and RIP.

[Broadbill-Pro]

not sure how controlled an environment he was in when he put on a dive mask and a cobra was spitting in his face? i know that they always throw in the disclaimer not to try this at home, but teaching the public to be familiar with dangerious wildlife is not all positive. how about the guy who dove underwater to grab a 12ft. anaconda, am i missing something here? or are these guys on a death wish?

watched another guy just tonight, chubby bloke with a beard. he turns his head to talk to the crowd with a 12ft croc with it's mouth open just 2 feet from him. i had visions of him getting twisted apart like one of those wildabeast.

Steve Irwin certainly did a lot for conservation and he was cool to watch, but his death should not surprise anyone.

[Relentless33]

There's a point I think many of us can agree with.

Only a matter of time :???:

[Nightfighter]

Screw all of you that are bashing Stevo!

The guy pushed the envelope, like most of us here do. If you are going to live life to the fullest then you have to ride the edge. Yes, it was a matter of time, like it's a matter of time before someone here gets killed on the 50. Some of the pics I see posted here, with guys billing swordys "pinky to thumb" instead of "thumb to thumb", it's a matter of time before someone takes one through the chest. neck or head. The long leaders all over the deck like spaghetti, someone is going to get dragged over. People stepping inside of the gaff/harpoon lines, someone is going to get cut in half or loose a leg. Putting live swordys on the deck WTF, I've seen it all.

We kill swordfish. Stevo' released everything he caught and filmed, and made millions doing it. Who's the idiot?

I can't believe some of the crap I've read here, from people I thought were real men, fishermen, and professionals, or ex-professionals.
Fuc%en lame!
Go back to your Ranger Rick magazines, with the pretty little pictures of raccoons licking each other. If it wasn't for Stevo' you would have no idea what a Crock or Cobra can truly do, along with the hundreds of other creatures he filmed.

The world is a lesser place without him, and I personally will miss him. I feel like I lost a friend.

God's speed Stevo'

[Captain Ollie]

I find it highly amusing that his demise was brought on by of all things, the lowly stingray. I mean think about all the crazy chit he was famous for doing. Wrestling huge reptiles and handling all those deadly snakes, always pushing the danger envelope. Then he goes and gets himself taken out while snorkeling over a large ray! I guess I haven't been overly paranoid by giving those monster southern rays I see when diving such a wide berth.

In any case I found him to be a very amusing charater and I did learn some interesting things from watching his shows. My sincere condolences go out to his friends and family.

I guess he must have been careful those first 100 times and just let his guard down a little to much on the 101st.

[lcagator]

Ditto Nightfighter!

When it is your time, it is your time. Hopefully for all of us, it happens while doing something we love...of course well into the future for all of us.

[Relentless33]

Apparently so, I think the Television artists may take it back a notch for a little while because of this example of what danger they are in.

[The BEAST]

Originally Posted by Broadbill-Pro

not sure how controlled an environment he was in when he put on a dive mask and a cobra was spitting in his face?

Uncontrolled (stupid) would have been not having the mask on and showing us how they spit.

THIS WAS A FLUKE! Only the 3rd man ever recorded to die from a stingray. More pit bull owners die by their beloved "domesticated pet"!

Gimme a break! Way outa line here!

Capt. Jim
The BEAST