Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin has died

From where ever Polimom got her quote: In an sad twist, it has been reported that his new documentary was aimed at demystifying the stingray. However Mr Stainton said Irwin was filming other footage for a program with Bindi at the time of the attack.
From ABC news interview: “He was probably one of the most knowledgeable reptile people in the entire world,” Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio.
It’s sad. I loved his show. I often worried about his actives when they were outside his expertise. Stingray, from the same vertebrate class Chondrichthyes as sharks, skates, and chimaeras, are not crocodile or any other type of reptilian, which was his true experience.
He did NOT have any formal education in ichthyology or any other zoological field. He often just got basic information from experts in particular fields about whatever type of animal and relied on his tremendous instinct of animals. His United States-born wife, Terri Irwin, was also without a formal education in any zoological field but from a young age learned, like Steve, much about animal husbandry.
From what I could glean from the reports and from the statements of John Stainton he did something every experienced diver and angler knows not to do:
“He came on top of the stingray and the stingray’s barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart,” said Stainton, who was on board Irwin’s boat, Croc One, at the time.
A ray is really a passive creature but surprising one from above is a bad thing to do as they are prey of other fish. Whether hidden under the sand waiting for a meal to swim by or swimming (almost flying) underwater, if a ray spots a shadow from above, it goes into a “prey posture” and will almost always cause a defensive flick of that barbed tail. That’s why saltwater wade fishermen are always told to drag their feet in the Gulf sand so as to not surprise a ray. The spike itself is a hardened poison that solidifies at the tip of their tail. Getting hit by that barb is extremely painful to man or fish and gives the ray a chance to escape. This must have been a big ray that hadn’t had to use its barb in a long time as they often break.
I hate the loss, but I hope it opens the eyes of the millions of kids that watched his programs, as even people with amazing talent and knowledge of the outdoors, the critters there are wild animals and must be treated with respect.

i feel sad that he died. i thought he was so brave to fight all thoose wild animals. Steve you rock the world!;)

I’m so sorry about Steve. Listen every time I watch The Crocadile Hunter I cry . It is such a shame what had happened. Life has it’s ups and downs but that was so low it was under low. When I heard my childhood hero died I just cried and cried. and thought about how you were handling it so I will keep you and the kids in my prayers tell Bindi and Baby Bob I said hi and wish you all a painless recovery. Steve and you are the only reson Me and my friend wanted to be Zooalagists. When I told her that he died we cried together for three hours.Love you Terr.,
Love,
Maryellen

i watched his show every chance i got.i still cant believe he was killed by a stingray.i thought he would live forever(becase he was so tougph),and if he ever did die that it would be from a crocadile.r.i.p.,i wuv woo steve!!!!!ur #1 fan!!!!!!!

WHEN i started to see his shows on animal planet. I started to adimer him he was the best of all.