Steve Irwin The Crocodile Hunter

[PineRidge]

KubotaSteve,


I introduce the kids to dangerous things all of the time. Its what parents should do.
Later,
Dan

I have nothing personal against Steve, I liked his enthusiasm.

I taught my children how to handle and discharge pistols. But I never put them directly in harms way, it can't be justified on any level. Yes, I could have made them stand beside a target to show them how fast a bullet travels but I have more sense than that.

My only point is that you don't teach babies a thing by putting them in front of a crock or dangling them off of a balcony. It's purely a way to get the publics attention or to increase your media coverage which it did.

 

[dmccarty]

Mike,

I kinda agree but with what KubotaSteve said and what I saw last night made me rethink the child/croc episosde. In the video I saw he was really upset at the thought that he was endangering his child. I don't think he was acting nor do I think he thought he was endangering the child. I would not have done what he did. I heard this morning that he was wrestling with crocs as a young kid. Don't know if that is true or not but he seemed to know what he was doing with them and would know the dangers.

Later,
Dan

 

[scott_vt]

My condolences to his wife and family, unfortunately the children will grow up without their Dad That is really tragic in my eye !

 

[Tom_H]

I'm glad to hear the clarification on the thing with the baby and croc. I was pretty rattled by it at the time.

The thing I will remember about him is that he tried to teach people that you can go into the wild, be masculine, brave, and love nature that God created without needing a gun.

Irwin recently won a big battle to protect crocs from guides who wanted to bring in trophy hunters. He felt they just wanted to come in, shoot a croc. from a distance, have it stuffed and mounted on a wall, then think of themselves as macho men.

Though I'd never get as "up close and personal" as Irwin with them, I've spent a lot of my life in the wilderness, had direct encounters with bears, boars, rattlers, bobcats, bison, water moccasins, alligators, coyotes, etc. In all those years, I never felt threatned or the need for a weapon for protection.

So for myself, I feel like I've lost a kindred spirit: a masculine man who didn't fear the wild, who felt at home among wild creatures even when without a weapon, and who instead of wanting to kill them, wanted to protect them.

 

[higgy]

Well said Tom and others;

RIP,

 

[CharlieTR]

Indeed, sorry to see him go.

Glad to hear the baby stunt was carefully planned.
Agree it was for the show only, he knew how to be safe.
Disagree the sting was a freak accident, a predicable one.

I hope the really radical risk taker kids learn something here.
Not that Steve was like them, I'm not saying that.
But I just can't believe what I see on TV sometimes.

This one kid jumped off a 2 story appt bldg (flat top roof) into a pool maybe 30 feet from the bldg. He made it, then jumped about 5 minutes later. close wet, feet wet, he slips and misses by 2 feet. Totally busted up laying in hospital tells his mom, "I cant quit these stunts, its who I am". Mom kinda acts proud repeating that to the interviewer. If I were his dad I'd break a Louisville slugger over his head after he slowly heals!

Hope the wife takes up educational shows she is good too (but not the risky stuff).

 

[texasjohn]

I greatly admired Steve. He was the real deal.

His skill and judgement kept him reasonably safe for a very long time. His job and passion was critters, conservation and communication.

I raise cattle and they can be dangerous... it's a risk I accept to bring meat to the table for others. He accepted the risks to bring entertainment and the conservation message to others.

It's sad, but life itself is risky as the TBN safety forum attests.

He lived large and I'll miss him, his contributions to understanding critters, and his family on TV.