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Steve Irwin Dead

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the fighting-muffin-to-the-chest dept.

mkosmo writes "News.com.au is reporting that Steve Irwin was killed in a freak accident while filming one of his well known documentaries. Surprisingly it wasn't a crocodile, it was a sting-ray."

4 of 1,004 comments (clear)

  1. why did it kill him? by ftsf · · Score: 5, Interesting
    from wikipedia:
    Dasyatids do not attack aggressively, or even actively defend themselves. When threatened their primary reaction is to swim away. However, when they are attacked by predators or stepped on, the barbed stinger in their tail is mechanically whipped up, usually into the offending foot; it is also possible, although less likely, to be stung "accidentally" by brushing against the stinger.
    what did he do to cause a stingray to kill him? TFA says it was a freak accident. but was it really? what were the stingray's intentions?
  2. Fastest Travellling News by Heir+Of+The+Mess · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is the fastest I've ever seen news hit the front page on slashdot.

    In fact since this news broke an hour ago I've received 1 phone call, 4 SMS's and 6 e-mails about it. A coworker came running to tell me about it and 88+ news items about it have appeared so far on Google News. Just goes to show that people really care about Steve Irwin.

    With that kind of influence it makes you wonder what he might have achieved if he hadn't died.

    --
    Australian running a company that does C# / C++ / Java / SQL / Python / Mathematica
  3. Re:Thanks Steve by Dasher42 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm a big fan of Attenborough too, but I think Irwin's show reached a different kind of person, and everybody could stand to have more appreciation of nature. Really, sneaking a nature show into a stunt show is what he did, and it's really sad that the odds caught up with him. Steve Irwin's off-camera work showed he really cared about wildlife, and it's really sad to lose someone like that.

    A stingray barb to the chest - ouch, that's a painful way to go. If I'm right, only one person has ever survived that.

  4. Re:oblig by cloricus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If you watch the interview by Andrew Denton (Enough Rope) you will see what sort of person he was. He wasn't some one who chased profits as his primary motivation and really did love the work. The shows were only a side to everything else like Australia Zoo and reserves. I would much rather that people looked up to him, even if you think he is just putting on a tough act, than say Bill Gates. Just my opinion though.

    --
    I ate your fish.