Steve Irwin

I remember my brother and I playing the Crocidile Hunter when were little kids. We used to spend hours out on the creek or in fields ketching any herp we could find, and we'd talk in corny Australian accents too, pretending to have our own show, lol.
Steve was definantly an idol of mine and I will always hold so much respect for him. I loved his show, I loved his passion, and I loved his energy, which he always had so much of! Even though I didn't know him personally, I really miss him.:(

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Originally Posted by Montessa Python

I have mixed feelings about him.
He did a lot of dangerous things that he did not need to do.
Perhaps it was the producers who decided he needed to have a "danga" (danger)
factor.
Other naturalists who teach about creatures in the wild did not do some of the things he did and taught us all very well without the danger need.

One show I remember watching he went out with a group to catch wild bulls.
They gave him a jeep and a rope, one bit of rope..
They would push the bull over with the jeep, using a couple of tires on the front to cushion the hit.. then while the bull was down, tie his legs together so he couldn't get up.
Well off goes steve, they get a bull... either he had used his one bit of rope, or couldn't find it.. so he improvises and uses his belt.
Now I applaud the effort, but wild bulls are dangerous and he should have been better prepared.
with reptiles he was a genius.
Hands down.
But he knew little or nothing about manta rays or other rays... why couldn't he do something on sea krates or sea turtles...
Not only did he OR his crew not do ANY research on the animal he was going to interact with... There was the internet, there are ray experts out there...
They should have known of the danger of dealing with these shark relatives.
His showmanship OR at the urging of his producers, his antics left him dead.
He left behind a young daughter who now feels she must somehow live up to his image.
OR her mother feels the need to carry on his fame by making her child do t.v. shows like dear ole dad...
Bindi the Jungle Girl...
All naturalists preach safety, and years of experience.
Steve ignored that and so did his crew and he died.
It IS sad, but preventable, and a waste.
This is just MY opinion.
Carol

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Something to think about:

If I had never watched the croc hunter as a kid, I would probably have been sent to the hospital at least once, might likely be missing digits or a limb, from screwing around with dangerous reptiles.

YouTube - Alligator Snapping Turtle Bites Researcher

Should have happened to me more than once, though I am still 110% confident in my turtle handling skills.

Steve taught me enough respect(which is hard for a middle-schooler to come by) to be a little bit safer around gators and water moccasins and copperheads than I would have been had I not watched his show.

I had nothing but respect for him--yes, he did sensationalize things...and that's what made people watch. If you don't get people to pay attention, you can't make them learn anything. If you don't bring people close, they get bored.

What he taught them was that a big, ugly, dangerous animal is also beautiful and worth saving. He taught that you can love something that won't love you back, and it's ok. He taught people one of the hardest lessons there is to get people to actually take to heart, and he did more for the PR and conservation of scaly crawly things than anyone before or since. Because of Steve Irwin, more people on the planet like crocodiles than ever have before in history. More people are interested in reptiles--more people respect snakes.

His death was not a lesson about how he interacted with wildlife. He was making a move countless other divers had made before, from professional to amateur. It was a freak accident, in many more ways than one. Stingrays are generally docile animals that are safe to interact with. Unfortunately, this individual animal somehow became startled and mistook him for a shark. If he'd been hit anywhere but right in the heart, he'd still be alive.

I really enjoyed his show. Sometimes he seemed to go a bit too far. However, he did tons of work to help reptiles become more accepted as living beings and deserving respect in their own right. I was shocked and very saddend when I hear he had died.

He was my inspiration for getting into reptiles. I first saw him when I was about 6 and thought he was cute so I watched every one of his shows and started falling in love with snakes and crocs and alligators! He was the reason I love all reptiles. Goodbye Steve.:tears:

I used to like him until I found out he supported Sea Shepheard...




Rob

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Originally Posted by mainbutter

I liked him because he was the real deal.. He actually had a very serious background in handling, care, capture, and rescue of large dangerous reptiles way before the TV show ever existed.

He wasn't the sole inspiration for my obsession with scaly critters(especially crocodilians) but he certainly helped that obsession grow :D

Back in dec. 07 I was able to complete a pilgrimage to the australia zoo. I wish I had been able to be there when he was still alive, but it was still an incredible experience.

I'll admit it, I cried when I heard about his death.

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Ya I cried too. I've been watching him ever since I was little and if I find his shows on tv (which I think are pretty much cancled..) I'll definitely watch them.