'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin dies in stingray attack - World - CBC News 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin dies in stingray attack CBC News Posted: Sep 04, 2006 8:14 AM ET Last Updated: Sep 04, 2006 6:43 PM ET Steve Irwin, 44, was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword 'Crikey!' in his television program, Crocodile Hunter. Steve Irwin, the man known around the world as the "Crocodile Hunter," has died in a stingray attack off the Great Barrier Reef. Irwin, 44, had been filming a documentary off Port Douglas in northern Queensland when he was killed by a stingray barb through the heart. He was rushed to hospital by helicopter, but he died en route. His documentary producer and longtime friend John Stainton was with him when he died. "The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "He left this world in a peaceful and happy state of mind.

He would have said, 'Crocs rule.'" Irwin and a cameraman were snorkelling in shallow water when the intrepid animal-lover swam over the stingray, which then stuck out the barb, Stainton said, adding he believed his friend died instantly. Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword "Crikey!" in his television program Crocodile Hunter. First broadcast in Australia in 1992, the program was picked up by the Discovery network, catapulting Irwin to international fame. Carmel Robertson, with the Australian Broadcasting Corp., told CBC News that Australians are in shock. "People can't believe that the man they thought was quite invincible is dead," she said. 'Wonderful and colourful son' Stingrays have a toxin-loaded spine on the top of their tail. Stings, while painful,are rarely fatal according to Shaun Collin,a University of Queensland marine scientist. Collin said he suspected Irwin died because the barb pierced his heart. "It was extraordinarily bad luck," Collin said.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard has expressed his condolences to Irwin's family, and said the country had lost a "wonderful and colourful son." 'I feel very distressed and I'm quite upset.' —Australian PM John Howard "He was the genuine article, what you saw was what you got: He took risks, he enjoyed life, but he brought immense joy to millions of people, particularly to children, and it's just such a terrible loss and I feel very distressed and I'm quite upset." Queensland Premier Peter Beattie told ABC News online in Australia that officials were considering holding a state funeral for Irwin but were waiting to discuss arrangements with his family. CNN reported on Monday evening that online tribute sites for Irwin were becoming overloaded and that many sites were crashing as people around the world tried to log on. Irwin made news headlines in 2004 after involving his infant son in one of his crocodile stunts. Irwin held his son Bob, who was a month old at the time, in one arm while he dangled a piece of chicken over the snapping jaws of a four-metre crocodile.

Escaped charges He later acknowledged that he should have done things differently and officials in Australia's Queensland state decided not to file charges against him. Irwin's love for all things crawling began in 1970 when his reptile-loving father opened a small reptile park in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1991, Irwin took over the family business and launched his Crocodile Hunter television program a year later. Mourners have laid flowers at the entrance to Irwin's Australia Zoo. "It was like hearing of the death of a really great friend," Lesley Manks told The Australian newspaper. "It's hard ... it's hit home," said Manks, whoonce met the famous crocodile hunter. Irwin is survived by his American-born wife Terri, their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob. The couple met when she went on vacation in Australia in 1991. She co-starred on her husband's television show and in his 2002 movie. Steve Irwin killed by stingray - National - smh.com.au Steve Irwin killed by stingray Steve Irwin with his American wife Terri at his Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland.

Photo: Russell McPhedran It was quite rare for someone to die from contact with a stingray ... Stingrays were dangerous if provoked Latest related coverage David Williams and Lousia Hearn September 4, 2006 Television personality and environmentalist Steve Irwin has died from a stingray wound while filming off north Queensland. Friends believe he may have died instantly when struck by a stingray as he filmed a sequence for his eight-year-old daughter Bindi's new TV series. Irwin's friend of 20 years, Ferre De Deyne said Irwin had been struck by the stingray while filming. "The stingray just happened to be swimming around and out of the blue whacked his tail at him," he said. "It is absolutely tragic. I have dived so many times with stingrays and they are usually very placid things," he said. Known worldwide as the Crocodile Hunter, 44-year-old Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry "Crikey!" 'Non-survivable injuries' Irwin had been filming a new documentary called Ocean's Deadliest with friend and manager John Stainton at Batt Reef, off Port Douglas about 11am.

"He came over the top of a stingray and the stingray's barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart," Mr Stainton said. "It's likely that he possibly died instantly when the barb hit him, and I don't think that he ... felt any pain. "He died doing what he loved best." Irwin was pulled aboard his research vessel, Croc One, for a 30-minute dash to Low Isle, where a Queensland Rescue Helicopter had been summoned, his Australia Zoo said in a statement. The crew of the Croc One performed constant CPR during the voyage to Low Isle, but medical staff pronounced him dead about noon. "It became clear fairly soon that he had non-survivable injuries," said Dr Ed O'Loughlin, who treated Irwin at the scene. "He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest. "He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing." Dr O'Loughlin said it appeared Mr Irwin had suffered a "form of cardiac arrest" but a post-mortem examination would be conducted in Cairns. Body flown to Cairns Mr Irwin's body was flown to a morgue in Cairns, where stunned family and friends were gathering tonight.

His American-born wife Terri was told of her husband's death while on a walking tour in Tasmania, and tonight returned to the Sunshine Coast with her two children, Bindi Sue, 8, and three-year-old son Robert Clarence, usually known as Bob, 3. The Irwins married in 1992 - the same year Irwin made a one-off documentary, The Crocodile Hunter, which later became a world-famous TV series and movie. Mr Stainton said the accident happened after bad weather halted filming for the new documentary series. During the break, Irwin had been shooting footage for his daughter Bindi's upcoming TV series, Mr Stainton said. "He said 'I might just go off and shoot some segments for Bindi's show, just stuff on the reef and little animals'. "I just said fine, anything that would keep him moving and keep his adrenalin going. "The next thing I heard on the radio was there was a medical emergency, the little dinghy he was in was bringing him back with the crew.

"Everyone tried absolutely tirelessly to revive him to keep him alive, we cut dinghies loose and made it post haste to Low Isle where we knew the chopper would be able to get in, but I think it's possible he probably died at 11am." Stingray deaths 'quite rare' Irwin's death was one of only a handful of known stingray deaths in Australian waters. When asked if he had ever heard of anyone dying from a stingray barb, Matthew Hurley, general manager of Quicksilver Group, whose company has taken tours to Low Isles for 26 years, said: "No, definitely not. "We've never heard of or been involved with anything like that." Ross Coleman, acting director at at University of Sydney Institute of Marine Science, told smh.com.au it was "quite rare" for someone to die from contact with a stingray and he couldn't recall hearing of another incident. Stingrays were "dangerous if provoked", he said. "As a recreational diving instructor you hear of people getting injured by standing on them ... but they rarely die." A professional scuba diver who raised the alarm about Irwin's tragic accident said he may still have been alive when he was taken from the water.

Professional diver Pete West was on board a boat close to scene of the attack when it happened. He said Mr Irwin's party asked him to alert authorities to the medical emergency. "We were the closest boat to the area and they stopped by to tell us, we raised the alarm while they took him back to his own boat," Mr West told the Seven Network. Asked if Mr Irwin was alive when they got him on his own boat, Mr West said: "I believe so." "He was doing what he did best and unfortunately today he wasn't quick enough." 'The zoo will go on' Irwin's wife Terri would not close down the zoo, predicted Jim Dalrymple, whose local irrigation firm helped maintain the water supplies to Irwin's Australia Zoo in Beerwah on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. The zoo is the biggest local employer with 550 staff, Mr Dalrymple said. "I managed an irrigation business in Beerwah and had occasions where I served Steve personally. "Terri would ring to say Steve was on his way down to the shop, can you stay open. It was usually on a Saturday afternoon when Steve needed something and got caught short. He was always so thankful.

"I think the zoo will go on," said Mr Dalrymple, who also owns the local Beerwah Motel. "I don't think Terri would let it close down. She's too passionate to change Steve's wishes. But he's irreplaceable." 'True to the core' Mr De Deyne, the managing director of the Big Kart Track which is located close to Australia Zoo, said he had counted Irwin as a friend for 20 years. "I've lost a dear frend. This is absolutely tragic news for me," he said. Mr De Deyne said he had first met Irwin in 1985 in a restaurant in Coloundra. He described him as a "regular guy" who would often come in for a bite to eat. "This guy was true to the core. He was big and alive and had a total commitment to everything he was doing. "You will never ever find a guy with more passion about the environment or the conservation of wildlife.

He put Australia on the world map and did the same for Queensland and the Sunshine Coast.'' 'Nothing would ever scare Steve' Irwin's manager John Stainton admitted he always feared that Steve Irwin would meet his "demise" while working with the wildlife he loved. But he said although Mr Irwin got into plenty of "close shaves" with his antics involving various dangerous animals over the years, his star charge never feared death. Mr Stainton admitted he "always" feared that this day would come during their 20-year association. "You think about all the documentaries we've made and all the dangerous situations that we have been in, you always think 'Is this it, is this a day that maybe is his demise?'," he said in Cairns today. "We've been in some pretty close shaves. "(But) nothing would ever scare Steve or would worry him. He didn't have a fear of death at all." Discovery Channel suspends 'Crocodile Hunter' The Discovery and Animal Planet TV networks - which produced Irwin's programs - suspended broadcasts of the Crocodile Hunter series across its networks this afternoon.

"Discovery Networks International and Animal Planet International mourn the loss of Steve Irwin, the world's Crocodile Hunter, " the broadcasters said in a statement. "Steve was beloved by millions of fans and animal lovers worldwide and was a true friend to Discovery Networks. "He was also one of the world's most passionate conservationists. His loss will be felt for many years to come. "As a mark of respect to Steve and his family, all programming featuring Steve has been temporarily suspended from the Animal Planet schedule. Trouble over croc feeding with son Irwin won a global following for his daredevil antics but also triggered outrage in 2004 by holding his then one-month-old baby while feeding a snapping crocodile at his Australian zoo. Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer, who used a photograph of his family at Australia Zoo for his official Christmas card last year, hailed Irwin for his work in promoting Australia. Irwin was heavily involved in last year's "G'Day LA'' campaign. "The minister knew him, was fond of him and was very, very appreciative of all the work he'd done to promote Australia overseas," a spokesman said.

The Crocodile Hunter program was first broadcast in 1992 and has been shown around the world on cable network Discovery. Irwin came 20th last year in BRW magazine's top 50 entertainers. The magazine said the hugely popular Crocodile Hunter spent most of 2005 filming and launching his new television series, New Breed Vets, to appear on the pay-TV channel Animal Planet. In February, Irwin received an award from Tourism Australia for his contribution to tourism. Over the last 12 months, he has also expanded his Australia Zoo wildlife park on the Sunshine Coast. Pop star Justin Timberlake last month recalled visiting the zoo on his Australian 2004 tour. "I know he got a lot of flak, but there's something in that dude's blood, he's like one of those animals," Timberlake told the Courier Mail newspaper. "We got in the cage and he said, 'I want to show you how the crocs hunt.' All of a sudden it pops out of the water, we jump back, it came up on the land and he saw how its temperament was and he told us to step back. "He's like Dr Dolittle, for real.

He knows what those crocodiles are thinking." - with AAP When news happens: send photos, videos & tip-offs to 0424 SMS SMH (+61 424 767 764), or email us. I thought stingrays were harmless, so how did one manage to kill the "Crocodile Hunter?" » Scienceline Tags: animals , education , Ever Wondered? , marine life For a man who made his living tangling with some of the most ferocious creatures on Earth, Steve Irwin met his end at the hands of an unlikely suspect. Irwin was filming a documentary off the coast of Queensland, Australia, on September 4th when a short-tail stingray swimming below him suddenly speared him through the chest with its dagger-like tail spine. The poisonous stinger punctured Irwin’s heart, killing him almost instantly. The short-tail stingray, Dasyatis brevicaudata , is a huge and normally docile fish. The largest of all stingrays, the short-tail can grow up to 14 feet long and tip the scales at more than 750 pounds.

Typically regarded as inquisitive but wary fish, all stingrays are armed with at least one serrated venomous spine at the base of their whip-like tails. Short-tail stingrays possess two tail spines: a slender spike in front of a huge jagged bayonet. The ray that attacked Irwin plunged its rear tail barb, reportedly close to eight inches long, into his chest. Stingrays harbor these weapons for one purpose: protection. Tail spines are an effective deterrent to predators, like sharks, that commonly target stingrays. Fatal stingray attacks on humans are exceedingly rare. Only two have been reported in Australian waters since 1945. Both victims were stung in the chest, like Irwin. Worldwide, death by stingray is similarly rare, with only one or two fatal attacks reported each year. But non-fatal stingray attacks occur frequently in shallow waters worldwide. These usually involve unwitting waders who step on rays nestled into the sand, hiding from predators. These types of attacks—some 1,500 per year occur in U.S. waters alone—are rarely ever fatal, though the pain from stingray venom is said to be excruciating.

Little is known about the specific chemical properties of the short-tail stingray’s poison, but in general, stingray venom is a potent cocktail of neurotoxins, enzymes, and the neurotransmitter serotonin, which restricts smooth muscle contraction and slows blood circulation and subsequent dilution of the venom. In Irwin’s case, the physical damage to his heart likely killed him before the toxin ever had a chance to take effect. Australian police representatives, reviewing footage of Irwin’s final wildlife encounter, have suggested that Irwin was not harassing the stingray that killed him and that the attack was unprovoked. Like most other stingrays, short-tail stingrays, also called smooth stingrays or bull rays, spend most of their time gliding over the ocean floor in search of the clams, fish, or crustaceans to eat. The wave-like undulations of their flattened pectoral fins propel them gracefully over the seabed and draw the attention of divers and snorkellers in the waters of the Indian and West Pacific Oceans. If and when the video footage of Steve Irwin’s death is released to the public (see this week’s Scienceline Poll), the circumstances surrounding the fatal stingray attack can be more fully scrutinized.

Until then, the attack is being characterized as a freak accident and a tragic end to the life of a dedicated conservationist. —— Why some people can tolerate the world’s hottest pepper ( 2 Comments ) Recent Comments “It has been 17 years since my gastric bypass. I am a functioning alcoholic according to what I hear my mother says. This article explains a ...” - Vickie Turpin, Alcoholism after gastric bypass: Is it in your mind or gut? “I have had two sisters have this surgery nearly 15 years ago. Since then, both have become full blown alcoholics. My youngest left her hus...” - Tom, Alcoholism after gastric bypass: Is it in your mind or gut? “Almost sounds too good to be true. Where I am concrete is still used a huge amount, which, being a concreter I'm not complaining about, but ...” - Steve, A greener concrete jungle “Right side of my stomach is sweating and the other side is clear. I was suffering from Fever yesterday night and today at morning I went to ...” - Ravi Rathod, Harlequin Syndrome “My sister is killing herself with alcohol.

Fifteen years post bypass and she drinks 5 liters of vodka in a week. I'm scared she will die soo...” - Joyce, Alcoholism after gastric bypass: Is it in your mind or gut? Stingray of death: tragic end of the life of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin - creation.com Published: 6 September 2006 Update: 15 September 2006 Since this article was published, we have posted a follow-up item concerning rumours of Steve Irwin’s alleged conversion . Steve Irwin. Image: Wikipedia. The sudden death of internationally-renowned ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin—killed by a stingray while Steve was filming an undersea nature documentary—has shocked many. 1 He was by all accounts a genuine and passionate man, who devoted much of his time and money to the animal causes he believed in. There has been a moving worldwide outpouring of grief and support for the family in the face of this unexpected tragedy. News media generally reported just enough to make clear what had happened, without labouring on the details, e.g.

“He [Irwin] was snorkelling over a stingray on Batt Reef [off the North Queensland coast] when it lashed out with its deadly tail, inflicting a fatal wound directly into his heart.” 2 Those familiar with the Croc Hunter’s seemingly death-defying antics with a host of dangerous creatures would not have been surprised that he had died from an attack by an animal—but a stingray?? Once the news broke, it quickly became the ‘hot topic’ of conversations everywhere, it seems (reflected too in the worldwide media coverage given to his death). 3 As people expressed their disbelief at the news, some of their comments and questions seemed to reveal aspects of their own worldview, e.g.: ‘He was just 44 years old—that’s too young to die!’ ‘He must have provoked the stingray.’ ‘How could the stingray’s barb—isn’t it only made of cartilage—have penetrated Steve Irwin’s chest?’ Before I became a Christian ‘young-earth creationist’ Bible-believer, I might have made such comments. But not any more. Let’s look at each of these in turn: 1.

‘Too young to die?’ This is a very common response when our loved ones die of any cause other than ‘old age’. But we have many times explained that this ignores the key event of the Fall in real space-time history – see Why would a loving God allow death and suffering? and The Fall: a cosmic catastrophe for an overview. Being armed with a biblical understanding of the cursed world of death and suffering in which we live makes a colossal difference to our ability to cope when confronted by personal loss and tragedy. We often receive feedback testifying to that. For example, one reader of the book Walking through Shadows wrote: Specifically, thank you for your ‘abstract thought experiment’ on pages 59–61. In a few pages you so vividly made it clear how a loving God can ‘allow’ death and suffering and why Christ’s sacrifice was needed … I have always had trouble coming up with answers to questions like “Why didn’t God intervene to stop these innocent deaths?” Yes, I know that no-one is innocent, because we’re all sinners, but your ‘abstract thought experiment’ explains so well why God giving his Son was the most loving and all-encompassing intervention that we could ask for.

(Email from Angela B., received 31 July 2004.) The following extract from Walking through Shadows summarizes the ‘abstract thought experiment’ to which Angela refers: When a collapsing slagheap suffocated many children in a Welsh mining town, there was not just an outpouring of grief, but a railing against God’s “unfairness” because of their young ages. … If you say that it’s “fair” for God to prevent the deaths of those children, then, to be really “fair” He should prevent the deaths of all children, anywhere, anytime. … But if God chose to define childhood as ending at 18, why would it now be “fair” to allow a 19 year old to die? (And so on—the obvious conclusion being that the only way for God to be totally fair would be to prevent all death, of everyone, forever—which is what the new heavens and earth (Rev. 21:4), with the removal of the Genesis curse (Rev. 22:3), is all about. See also Theistic evolution: future shock? and The future—some issues for ‘long-age’ Christians .) Stingray image from Wikipedia. 2.

‘He must have provoked the stingray’ Since Steve Irwin’s death, there has been much discussion on this. Many have said privately that he must have provoked the stingray in some manner, despite Irwin’s companions saying the fatal attack was entirely unprovoked. 4 , 5 Queensland’s The Courier-Mail quoted one marine medical expert as saying: “It’s unbelievable that this has happened. Stingrays are very, very gentle creatures. They’re non-aggressive. They’re called the pussycats of the sea.” 6 But those who hold the view that he must have ‘provoked’ the stingray are obviously unaware of documented instances of stingrays attacking people. Steve Grenard, in an article about stingray injuries available online, writes: “Unprovoked attacks, probably based on some territorial imperative, have also been recorded.” 7 Grenard goes on to warn: “Contrary to popular ‘nature documentaries’, it is extremely hazardous to swim directly over, or in close proximity to, a stingray.

A flick of the tail is apt to pierce a person’s body, and a serious, even potentially fatal, situation is in the offing.” 7 Interestingly, in a box in one of our articles on the fearsome piranha fish , we stated this little-known fact: “A [South American] freshwater stingray causes many injuries with its venomous barbed tail, and is regarded by local people as being far more dangerous than the piranha.” All that would have been very useful for me to have known in my younger days when I did a lot of snorkelling and spearfishing, often swimming over the top of stingrays! Back then I blithely heeded the advice of experienced divers that stingrays would not attack as long as I didn’t touch them. But now, being armed with a biblical understanding that this is no longer the ‘very good’ world that God made, I can better understand the ‘big picture’. In contrast, for those who think that it’s still a ‘very good’ world, or that Mother Nature is some benign entity that will treat you right if you treat Her right, it’s pretty hard to make sense of a stingray’s ‘unprovoked’ attack. 3.

The stingray’s venomous spine I could well understand why one youngster asked me: “How could the stingray’s barb—isn’t it only made of cartilage—have penetrated Steve Irwin’s chest?” For anyone taught in evolution classes that sharks and rays ‘only’ have cartilage, being so ‘primitive’ that they had not yet evolved hard things like bone, such a question is logical. But in fact, sharks and rays were created—they did not originate by evolution—and so from a biblical perspective we’d expect to see that they’ve been well-designed, and therefore well-equipped for life (see Sharks and rays ). As, indeed, they are. Grenard 7 actually refers to the stingray’s ‘sting’ as being ‘well-crafted’. It is made of dentin, a hard substance, just like the teeth of sharks. As he says, the ‘sting’ properly refers to the ‘spine plus the ‘sheath’ which envelops it, and associated venom glands. When the spine is lying flat against the surface of the ray’s tail, it is ‘bathed in a melange of venom and mucus’. Along the spine are backwards-facing serrations, or barbs.

Since the spine can be up to 20 cm (8 in) long, and part of a creature that can weigh 100 kg (220 lb), it is a very nasty defensive apparatus indeed. So how could such a highly functional apparatus have evolved? The answer is that it could not and did not, but was created. But would a loving God have designed such a weapon—a weapon obviously designed to inflict maximum trauma on its victim? As we have already explained elsewhere , defence-attack structures such as this one would have been unneeded and unused in a pre-Fall world. But God in His foreknowledge of the Fall endowed creatures at Creation with the equipment they would need for life in a post-Fall world. One can well imagine that without its venomous spine, stingrays would have been ‘easy meat’ in a post-Fall world. The stingray feeds on small creatures on the ocean floor. Sharks and other predators attacking it from above would be deterred by this lethal weapon able to ‘zap’ them from below. See also some articles about specific defence-attack structures, carnivores, pathogens etc. Steve Irwin—‘a modern-day Noah’?

The most frequent tributes being paid to Steve Irwin are from environmental groups acknowledging his huge influence and contributions in the area of wildlife preservation. 8 One public figure even called him ‘a modern-day Noah’. 1 Of course there are some substantial differences between the ‘Croc Hunter’ and the Noah of the Bible. Notwithstanding the many animals that Steve Irwin and his ‘Australia Zoo’ have indeed rescued since 1991, Irwin himself would not have been so bold as to claim to have come anywhere near Noah’s role in preventing the extinction of every kind of land animal and bird on this planet! So how could such a highly functional apparatus have evolved? Also, Noah’s actions were prompted by direct instruction from God, in line with the biblical stewardship mandate given to man at Creation. In contrast, Steve Irwin openly espoused evolution over millions of years. 9 His position in relation to God was obliquely referred to in a major newspaper in his home state of Queensland as Irwin’s ‘non-religious stance’. 10 In reviewing Steve (& Terri) Irwin’s 2002 film, The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, ChristianAnswers.Net wrote: “Families should discuss the secular worldviews presented in the film.

Steve continually points out that animals are really better than people. Parents can correct this by pointing out that God breathed life into man and gave us dominion over the animal kingdom. The views [in this film] are ones which are constantly preached to our nation’s children and are in direct contradiction to Scriptures.” 11 Stingray Leaps Into Boat, Stings Florida Man in Heart Stingray Leaps Into Boat, Stings Florida Man in Heart Blake de Pastino National Geographic News Staff Writer October 19, 2006 In a freak event eerily reminiscent of the death of Australian naturalist Steve Irwin , a Florida man was stung in the heart yesterday by a stingray that leapt into his boat. James Bertakis, 81, was boating with his granddaughters near the town of Lighthouse Point, 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Fort Lauderdale, when a three-foot-wide (one-meter-wide) spotted eagle ray bounded out of the water and fell into the boat. (See Florida map .) As Bertakis struggled to get the ray out of the vessel, the animal lashed its ten-foot (three-meter) tail, piercing the man's heart with its venomous barb.

The barb remained lodged in the man's chest, while the women brought the boat ashore and called for help. Surgeons performed two operations on Bertakis yesterday and today, ultimately removing the 1-foot (0.3-meter) barb by pulling it through his heart. Bertakis was listed in critical condition late Thursday. Comparisons to the recent death of Steve Irwin are difficult to avoid; Irwin died while filming a television special off Australia's Great Barrier Reef on September 4, when he was stung in the heart by a bull ray. Irwin removed the barb from his chest before losing consciousness and dying at the scene. Similarities between the two events may spark fear in beach-goers, fishers, and others who spend time in coastal waters, but they amount to little more than a bizarre coincidence, says Bob Cowen, a professor of marine biology at the University of Miami. "I just cannot imagine any connection," he said. "I just think they're just two really unusual situations." Spotted Eagle Ray While he has never heard of a fatal attack by a spotted eagle ray, Cowen says it is quite common for the animals to leap out of the water.

"Crocodile Hunter" Death Extremely Rare, Caught on Film "Crocodile Hunter" Death Extremely Rare, Caught on Film Stephanie Peatling in Sydney, Australia for National Geographic News Updated September 6, 2006 An initial postmortem examination has confirmed that Australian environmentalist, zoo owner, and television personality Steve Irwin, the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed when a stingray's venomous barb pierced his heart at about 11 a.m., local time, on Monday. Police investigating the incident told a packed press conference yesterday that his death was the result of a highly unusual accident. "We're not going into the detail, but there's definitely no surprises," a police spokesperson said. "Everyone knows how he died." Caught on Film A coroner was to begin an examination yesterday and will consider video footage of the attack, which happened as Irwin swam over Batt Reef, off the Australian state of Queensland ( map of Australia ). Irwin's friend, director, and producer, John Stainton, who was on Irwin's boat Croc One when the attack happened, said yesterday at the press conference that it is too early to release the footage of his friend's fatal encounter to the public.

Last night on CNN's Larry King Live talk show he went further. "I mean, it should be destroyed," Stainton told King. "When that is finally released [from police custody], it will never see the light of day. Ever. Ever. I actually saw it, but I don't want to see it again." The stingray attack was caught on film during the production of a new television special Irwin was making with his eight-year-old daughter, Bindi Sue. The documentary was to have been screened in the United States next year. The footage shows Irwin pulling the stingray's barb out of his chest before losing consciousness, Stainton says. "It's a very hard thing to watch, because you're actually witnessing somebody die and it's terrible," Stainton said at the press conference.

Pet stingray called Steve Irwin puts owner in hospital just DAYS after he bought it | Daily Mail Online Pet stingray called Steve Irwin puts owner in hospital just DAYS after he bought it James Hunt, 23, was attacked as he was moving the 15-inch stingray He spent three days in hospital in excruciating pain The ray was named after Steve Irwin, the wildlife expert who was killed by a stingray in 2006 comments A pet stingray called Steve Irwin sunk its 3-inch barb into his owner just days after the man bought it. Owner James Hunt, 23, was in hospital for three days after he was attacked by his newly-bought venomous motoro stingray. Mr Hunt was moving the stingray from one tank to another at his flat in Southend, Essex when the usually placid sea creature attacked, leaving Mr Hunt in excruciating pain.

'Felt like I was dying': James Hunt spent three days in hospital after his new pet stingray, ironically named Steve Irwin, attacked him with its 3-inch barb Ironically, the pet was named after the gregarious Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin, who was tragically killed by a stingray in 2006. Mr Hunt said: ‘I felt like I was dying. The pain in my arm was excruciating. ‘I was in agony. The intense pain was spreading from my wrist to my elbow, then it started going towards my shoulder. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share He was rushed to hospital where he doctors treated the painful symptoms from the stingray’s barbed stinger following the incident on Bank Holiday Monday in late August. Luckily for Mr Hunt, his partner Danielle Wright, 22, and his brother Shane, 30 and his partner Victoria Long, 27, were with him at the time. Usually docile: Mr Hunt was moving his two newly-bought motoro stingrays (pictured) from a temporary tank to a new tank when 'Steve Irwin' lashed out and Mr Hunt was rushed to hospital He said: ‘I am just thankful I wasn’t on my own.

‘They gave me oxygen and morphine in hospital, but I was still screaming in pain. I must have sounded like I was in labour. ‘I remember asking the doctors to not let me die, but I tried to keep calm because if you panic it makes the venom spread faster.’ Tragic death: The real Steve Irwin, an Australian wildlife expert, was killed by a stingray in 2006 Steve Irwin was one of two 15-inch stingrays that Mr Hunt had bought for £150 from a private seller on August 25. He was attempting to move the rays to a new 6ft, 1000-litre tank the next day when disaster struck. Mr Hunt said: ‘I had just moved down from Sunderland to Southend with my partner and bought them from someone in Derbyshire on the way down. ‘I picked them up and put them in a tank when we moved into the flat and there was no problem, but I think they must have been a bit tired because of the journey.

‘The next day they had more energy and I got one out of the tank and got half way to the other one when it stung me with its barb.’ The pet owner, who has kept fish for five years, told how his stingrays shared a tank with other tropical species including two oscars, a black belt, a red devil, a pleco and a red tail catfish. And despite a painful start, Mr Hunt intends to keep the stingrays. He said: ‘It was my fault. I knew they could be dangerous and I just took a chance. ‘I was tired from the move and only had three hours sleep. I won’t be doing that again. ‘The swelling has gone down a bit, but my hand is still pretty numb.’ Mr Hunt, who is unemployed, faces several weeks of physiotherapy and is on a course of antibiotics to ensure the wound does not become infected. STEVE IRWIN: THE DEADLY STINGRAY ATTACK THAT SHOCKED THE WORLD Steve Irwin was killed in September 2006 after getting stung by a stingray while filming in Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

The 44-year-old was setting up to shoot ocean reef footage at the time for a programme on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef he was making with his daughter Bindi who was eight at the time. There was no evidence that he provoked the attack. The fatal blow was caught on videotape and showed Irwin swimming over the top of the ray as the tail came up and spiked him in the chest. Irwin instinctively pulled the barb out of his chest and died shortly after. Several stingrays were found dead and mutilated on Australia's eastern coast in apparent revenge attacks on the normally docile fish. Since Irwin’s death his family has continued his legacy. His daughter Bindi, now 15, has appeared on television since she was two. Already an accomplished wildlife conservationist, she went on to front her own show: Bindi the Jungle Girl, and has also appeared in movies such as Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove and Return to Nim’s Island. Wife Terri Irwin now owns the Australia Zoo, the Irwin family reptile and fauna park where Irwin grew up. Born in 1962, Irwin lived in the tropical Queensland state where his parents ran a small reptile and fauna park.

He grew up near crocodiles, trapping and removing them from populated areas and releasing them in his parent's park. In 1991 he took over the park and started ‘The Crocodile Hunter’ television programme which received a worldwide audience of 200 million, equivalent to 10 times the population of Australia. He made 46 of the popular documentaries which appeared on cable TV channel Animal Planet, as well as more than 20 episodes of ‘The Crocodile Hunter Diaries’. In 2001, he appeared alongside Eddie Murphy in the Hollywood movie Dr Dolittle 2. Stingrays are usually shy, unobtrusive fish that rummage along the sea bottom for food or burrow into the sand. When stepped on or otherwise frightened, a serrated spine up to 10 inches long in the animal's tail flares up. The spines emit toxins that can kill small creatures and cause excruciating pain in humans. Few people die from the poison, but the spines can badly tear flesh and the wounds are prone to infections, including tetanus.

'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin stabbed hundreds of times by stingray, cameraman reveals - Telegraph 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin stabbed hundreds of times by stingray, cameraman reveals Colleague says Australian 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin's final words were 'I'm dying' after being attacked Australian 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin Photo: Getty Images By AFP 12:30PM GMT 10 Mar 2014 The cameraman who witnessed the death of the Australian "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin on Monday revealed that a stingray stabbed at him "hundreds of times" and his final words were "I'm dying". The television personality and conservationist, who became world-famous for his daring stunts with dangerous animals, died aged 44 in 2006 while filming a documentary on the Great Barrier Reef in far north Queensland. Justin Lyons was the cameraman at the time and shot video of the death, which was later handed to Irwin's widow Terri and has never been aired.

In his first public comments, Mr Lyons told Australia's Channel Ten he and Irwin had left their main boat in an inflatable to find something to film when they came across a "massive" eight-foot wide stingray in chest-high water. The final shot was to be the stingray swimming away from Irwin. Instead, it struck out, apparently believing Irwin's shadow was a tiger shark, one of its predators. Related Articles Steve Irwin's son feeds first crocodile 03 Oct 2012 "I had the camera on, I thought this is going to be a great shot, and all of sudden it propped on its front and started stabbing wildly, hundreds of strikes in a few seconds," Mr Lyons said. A stingray leaps out of the water as it is hunted by a killer whale (AP) "I panned with the camera as the stingray swam away and I didn't know it had caused any damage. It was only when I panned the camera back that I saw Steve standing in a huge pool of blood that I realised something had gone wrong." He said reports that a barb had stuck in Irwin's chest and he pulled it out were wrong.

"It's a jagged barb and it went through his chest like a hot knife through butter," he said. "He had a two-inch-wide injury over his heart with blood and fluid coming out of it and we had to get him back to the boat as fast as we can," Mr Lyons added. "I was saying to him things like 'think of your kids Steve, hang on, hang on, hang on', and he calmly looked up at me and said 'I'm dying' and that was the last thing he said." Stingrays have several sharp and venomous barbs on their tails that they use to defend themselves when they feel threatened, though experts at the time stressed that stingrays were not usually vicious and rarely attacked and killed humans. Known for his "Crikey!" catchphrase, Irwin has had a wildlife reserve, a road, a turtle, a snail and an anti-whaling ship named after him since his death.

Question: Who died from a sting ray attack in 2006?
Answer: Steve Irwin