Steve Irwin The Crocodile Hunter

[dmccarty]

I just read a better report than the first ones I read. What a freak accident.

The early reports said that his eight year old daughter was with him. Which looks like that was not the case thankfully. He seemed like a really nice guy doing some very nutty and dangerous things.

The question that popped into my head this morning was, "Did you expect this guy to live a long life and die sleeping in bed?" The answer was no. Never thought about it before though.

Apparently the incident is on film. I sure hope they have the decency to destroy the film. We don't need to see him getting killed over and over again. And his family sure as heck does not deserve that ****. They are having a hard enough time as it is.

Later,
Dan

 

[PineRidge]

I really used to enjoy watching Steve. That all changed the day that I saw him put his child in danger. I wouldn't walk across the street to see him after that. He made lots of comments and lots of excuses, but the truth of the matter is that his child didn't ask to be put in that position, it was an adult that decided for the child. And it wasn't to bright.

That kind of wild recklessness ranks right up there with the Grizzley Man, and Michael Jackson dangling his kid over the balcony. Sorry if this post sounds a bit harsh.

 

[Sigarms]

Apparently the incident is on film. I sure hope they have the decency to destroy the film.

Dan, not knowing Mr. Irwin, I can't help but think he would at least want some of that film footage shown to other "professionals" that work with animals to learn from his mistake (and I agree, there is no reason for most of us to watch it).

PineRidge, well said, particularly in the comparison of the "Grizzley Man". Spent some time in Alaska, and got to see that movie. That man was an total idiot.

 

[gsganzer]

Like the saying we have in Texas, "The man died with his boots on". Meaning he died doing what he loved, lived his life to the last minute and wasn't a burden on anyone.

May god watch over his wife and kids.

 

[Dargo]

We don't need to see him getting killed over and over again. And his family sure as heck does not deserve that ****. They are having a hard enough time as it is.

Later,
Dan

I agree. I have no desire to see the freak fatal accident. I've greatly enjoyed watching Steve Irwin over the years. I've seen so many of his films. I actually saw him in person at a corporate thing in San Diego several years ago. He explained his "insane" interaction with dangerous animals as his way to try to keep people from just blindly killing all species deemed as dangerous. He said he took 'calculated risks' as part of not only his showmanship, but as to draw attention to his passionate conservation efforts.

Like many people, I often wondered if he would one day 'mis-calculate' one of his risks. Particularly after having children I hoped that he wouldn't have that happen. Of all things, to be killed by a stingray was not one I thought would happen, and I bet neither did he. I've been swimming with stingrays at "Stingray City" just off of Grand Cayman several times in the past and will be there again in a few short weeks. I have several pictures of standing in waist deep water holding rays and feeding them. With no real threat from sharks in the very shallow protected bay area there in Grand Cayman and years of interaction with people, the rays there are very docile. With no natural predators in the area and being handled and fed by humans daily, although technically in the wild, these rays are more like pets. Here is a pic from my phone back in Feb of this year with the stingrays.

I feel for his wife and kids. Although he made a judgement error feeding crocs while holding his son a few years ago, I think he would never have done anything to harm his children or his wife. May he rest in peace...

 

[bugstruck]

I really used to enjoy watching Steve. That all changed the day that I saw him put his child in danger. I wouldn't walk across the street to see him after that. He made lots of comments and lots of excuses, but the truth of the matter is that his child didn't ask to be put in that position, it was an adult that decided for the child. And it wasn't to bright.

That kind of wild recklessness ranks right up there with the Grizzley Man, and Michael Jackson dangling his kid over the balcony. Sorry if this post sounds a bit harsh.

PineRidge you have a point and I wasn't too thrilled over that footage either. Let me be frank, I was pi__ed when I first saw that and I don't have children. Never made me loose respect for the guy though or miss his talent. If that's all the wrong he ever did measured against the good.... I'd walk those steps and so would anybody if they thought about it for a moment. I'll pass on the reasoning as it would be trite. The knowledge he brought to us matched or exceeded any of the wildlife shows from the past and they were good. He was a bit of a show boat but I think he's already disembarked the A-train to the promised land and gets a pass to the first stop. I bet he is one of the best known people ever to grace this planet. For good reason. He put his money, time, and energy where his mouth and heart were. That's how I choose to remember him, not for failing to understand each and everyone of our fears and insecurities. And neither will you IMO. Not really your style to be like that anyhow. He just didn't see animals in the same way you or I do. It showed in ways we loved and ways we grimaced. He gave a ****.

 

[dholly]

I really used to enjoy watching Steve. That all changed the day that I saw him put his child in danger. I wouldn't walk across the street to see him after that. He made lots of comments and lots of excuses, but the truth of the matter is that his child didn't ask to be put in that position, it was an adult that decided for the child. And it wasn't to bright.

That kind of wild recklessness ranks right up there with the Grizzley Man, and Michael Jackson dangling his kid over the balcony. Sorry if this post sounds a bit harsh.

I agree, much worse than our 8-10 y.o. kids loose on 5000lb tractors!

 

[KubotaSteve]

I really used to enjoy watching Steve. That all changed the day that I saw him put his child in danger. I wouldn't walk across the street to see him after that. He made lots of comments and lots of excuses, but the truth of the matter is that his child didn't ask to be put in that position, it was an adult that decided for the child. And it wasn't to bright.

That kind of wild recklessness ranks right up there with the Grizzley Man, and Michael Jackson dangling his kid over the balcony. Sorry if this post sounds a bit harsh.

I was in the same boat as you at first, but then after seeing a show on this as opposed to the media's view, I had a change of heart. His wife Terry was the one explaining what happened. Without taking away from this thread, I'll provide some of the basics. She said that Steve had just finnished feeding Murray (an older, slower, and easy going croc which had been stated on his shows before this). The croc was worn out and almost ready for bed, and that is when he showed the baby off. They had 11 trained professionals in the enclosure if help was needed. She also stated that many parents come home with a new born and the first thing they do is to see how the family dog reacts to the baby. She said a mother takes the baby over to a rot or other dog with no professionals around. She said her family has different pets. They had went over with the 11 professionals as to what each person was responsible for during the exhibition. This was planned out and not just a spur of the moment thing. It was their way to introduce their new baby to the world and it didn't recieve quite the way they wanted it too. This is what he did all his life. How many people put their babies in positions that may seem fine to them but crazy to someone else?

Anyway he brought about a lot for conservation and brought it to the forefront. His business manager always said if he Steve was killed it would be in the water as it contained certain unknowns that always couuld not be accounted for.

 

[EddieWalker]

KubotaSteve,

Thanks for the info on what happened. I had also thought it wasn't very bright bringing a baby into the cage either, but never understood the media storm about it. The baby never seemed to be in any danger, and there's probloby very few people in the world as qualified as he was to do this.

The comparison about the dogs is a good one. When my step-son was bit on the face earlier this year by a stray we had, it was a huge eye opener for us. We let him run around with the kids just because he seemed like a nice dog. He wasn't. At the hospital, we got educated about how common it is for small kids to be bit by dogs. Either new dogs to a family, or a new family member to the dog that has already been there.

Steve Irwin had more personality than every other animal show host combined. They try to copy his enthusiasm, but as of yet, nobody is even close. I don't have any interest in crocidiles, snaked or most of the animals his shows were about, but I still enjoyed watching him because he was very interesting and his shows were allot of fun.

It's a very sad day for his family.

Eddie

 

[dmccarty]

KubotaSteve,

Thanks for that info. I very seldom watch network news but last night I turned it on and Irwin was the lead story. They showed some snippits about the baby and croc which for some reason made me think the earlier reports where not the whole story. I should know better than believe the press but I never watched Irwin's shows so I just tuned out the whole controversy with the kid and croc. It registered as a dumb thing to do which is what the sensational media wanted I suppose.

Taken in context what he did made perfect sense and the comparison to dogs is well stated. We where very cautious with our kids around the dogs when they where young. I have seen our very docile, cute, lovable dogs snap and just go after each other. Its scary. If a child was a part of that mess it would be bad. We are down to one dog and while she is mine and will have very little to do with the kids, she still sits on the kids side of the table. The dog knows who will be dropping food.

I introduce the kids to dangerous things all of the time. Its what parents should do. Considering what Irwin did its what he should have done. Shame the press beat him up but then that is why I don't watch much news anymore.

Later,
Dan