'Crocodile Hunter' Death Extremely Rare, Caught on Film

News Type: Event — Seeded on Tue Sep 5, 2006 5:16 PM EDT

Article Source: National Geographic

science, australia, steve-irwin, crocodile-hunter, stingray, croc-one

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.

Police investigating the incident told a packed press conference this morning 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.

A coroner will begin an examination today and will consider video footage of the attack, which happened at about 11:00 a.m. local time on Monday as Irwin swam over Batt Reef, off the Australian state of Queensland.

Irwin's friend, director, and producer, John Stainton, who was on Irwin's boat Croc One when the attack happened, says it is too early to release the footage of his friend's fatal encounter to the public.

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.

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{"commentId":279093,"authorDomain":"Bonita"}

B Arms

I used to hate stupid crocodiles, but I learned to love watching Steve Irwin admire them and call them "a beauty."
And I got to where I could look a puff adder in the eye - from safety while Steve dangled it by its tail.
He was assertive towards revealing these animals for our education, but I saw only admiration - not provocation. Too bad if they were having a bad hair day - he was their last line of defense. And, it was time for them to be known.
I know they are every one of them still as wild and dangerous as ever, but Steve brought the life and soul of the creature to the world, and I began to concede that they did deserve a rightful piece of land to live on - it was the only human thing to do.
It took someone as forward and wonder-struck as Steve, working as a team with his beloved Terri, to help me achieve my highest form of humanity - protection for the dangerous ones left.
Steve Irwin is like John Wayne, he didn't go anywhere - he lives and breathes in the hearts and changed minds of millions of us.
John taught us to fight others to do the right things, and Steve taught us to fight ourselves to do the right things for others.
Live on, Steve ....

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#1 - Wed Sep 6, 2006 4:57 AM EDT

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Stingray Kills Famed 'Crocodile Hunter'	Associated Press	Mon Sep 4	23
'Crocodile Hunter' Took Out Barb on Tape	Associated Press	Tue Sep 5	1
Stonefish hunt led to tragedy in "crocodile hunter" death	Australian News Network	Thu Sep 7	0
'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin killed	BBC News	Mon Sep 4	3
Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin Killed	Associated Press	Mon Sep 4	94

JASON COLEMAN

Backyard

'Crocodile Hunter' Death Extremely Rare, Caught on Film

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.

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