Australian naturalist and TV icon Steve Irwin, “The Crocodile Hunter”, died earlier today while filming off the North Queensland coast.
Irwin was pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming an underwater segment for his daughter’s new TV show, called Ocean’s Deadliest, at Batt Reef, off Port Douglas in North Queensland. Collapsing at approximately 11am on Monday September 4, 2006, he received CPR for almost one hour.
When the emergency helicopter arrived at the scene, both his pulse and breathing had stopped. It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest, however further assessment will be carried out at a post-mortem examination in Carins. Death from contact with a stingray barb is considered “highly unusual”.
Born Stephen Robert Irwin in Melbourne on 22 February 1962, he moved to Queensland at a young age, where his parents operated the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park. Beginning his career as a crocodile trapper, he took over the park in 1991, renaming it Australia Zoo.
He met Terri in 1992 and their honeymoon was spent trapping crocodiles, which became the pilot episode of the highly successful TV series, The Crocodile Hunter. The show aired across 122 countries worldwide.
Though highly revered in his home country for tireless environmental preservation efforts and promotion of his state and nation, Irwin’s career was not without controversy.
In January 2004, Steve Irwin hit international headlines following a live show at Australia Zoo, in which he held his one month-old baby boy under one arm, while hand-feeding a chicken to “Murray” the crocodile. This became known as the “Baby Bob Incident” and was compared to Michael Jackson dangling his son outside a window in Germany.
His actions were cause for concern amongst child welfare and animal rights groups, along with much criticism from the general public. Irwin escaped charges but as a direct result, new laws were established in February 2005, which prevented children or untrained adults from entering crocodile enclosures.
Article comments
1 - diana hartman
I am pleased to tell you this article is being featured in the Culture Focus today, September 4th.
Diana Hartman
Culture Editor
2 - Joan Hunt
Nice job, Poizon. Let's hope Australians keep up his efforts to protect all those natural wonders!
3 - DannyBlizz
Wow... This is really sad. I wonder if they ever going to publish the video in wich it shows when the stingray kills him.
4 - greenday
sooner or later that video's going to get to the internet unless they allreadey distroyed it
5 - Jack
He did great things for Australia. Apparantly many people around the world knew him better than our Prime Minister..
He did great things with his life. RIP Steve...
6 - claire
i loved him he was so great he died doing something he loved always in my heart and my thoughts are with his family R.I.P STEVE
7 - DONNA
HE WAS GREAT I LOVED WATCHING HIM, HE MADE HIS PROGRAMS ENTERTAINING U WONT FIND ANOTHER ONE LIKE HIM
R.I.P STEVE ALSO MY THOUGHTS R WITH HIS FAMILY
8 - alexandra xx
i still cant belive it. its hard to get your head round it he was so alive and full of personality and now hes gone! i wish his family well i no wot losing a dad is like as i lost mine wen i was 13 hope they mannage xxxxxxxxx
9 - Chris Treen
Steve was a legend and he was also known 4 they saying 'wot a beauty' He brought entertainment and excitment to our television's. many people didnt appreciate the danger he risked to bring us this and i know that he would have much rather died that way rather than 80 year old on his death bed. he died chasing a dream ( R>I>P steve you lived a dream. All my deepest sympthy goes to your family and im sure they are proud of you cause if you was a member of my family i know i would. your the man
10 - arju
steve was nice and happy