Steve, from all God's creatures, thank you. Rest in peace.

[Guest guest]

CAIRNS, Australia - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australiantelevision personality and conservationist known as the "CrocodileHunter," was killed Monday by a stingray while filming off the GreatBarrier Reef. He was 44.Irwin was at Batt Reef, off the remote coast of northeasternQueensland state, shooting a segment for a series called "Ocean'sDeadliest" when he swam too close to one of the animals, which have apoisonous barb on their tails, his friend and colleague John Staintonsaid."He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up andinto his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who wason board Irwin's boat at the time.Crew members aboard the boat, Croc One, called emergency services inthe nearest city, Cairns, and administered CPR as they rushed the boatto nearby Low Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staffpronounced Irwin dead when they arrived a

short time later, Stainton said.Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchword"Crikey!" in his television program "Crocodile Hunter." Firstbroadcast in Australia in 1992, the program was picked up by theDiscovery network, catapulting Irwin to international celebrity.He rode his image into a feature film, 2002's "The Crocodile Hunters:Collision Course" and developed the wildlife park that his parentsopened, Australia Zoo, into a major tourist attraction."The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionateconservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Staintontold reporters in Cairns. "He died doing what he loved best and leftthis world in a happy and peaceful state of mind. He would have said,'Crocs Rule!'"Prime Minister John Howard, who hand-picked Irwin to attend a galabarbecue to honorPresident Bush when he visited in 2003, said he was "shocked

anddistressed at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death.""It's a huge loss to Australia," Howard told reporters. "He was awonderful character. He was a passionate environmentalist. He broughtjoy and entertainment and excitement to millions of people."Irwin, who made a trademark of hovering dangerously close tountethered crocodiles and leaping on their backs, spoke in rapid-firebursts with a thick Australian accent and was almost never seenwithout his uniform of khaki shorts and shirt and heavy boots.Wild animal expert Jack Hanna, who frequently appears on TV with hissubjects, offered praise for Irwin."Steve was one of these guys, we thought of him as invincible," Hanna,director emeritus of the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo and Aquarium, told ABC's"Good Morning America" Monday."The guy was incredible. His knowledge was incredible," Hanna said."Some people that are doing this stuff are actors

and that type ofthing, but Steve was truly a zoologist, so to speak, a person who knewwhat he was doing. Yes, he did things a lot of people wouldn't do. Ithink he knew what he was doing."Irwin's ebullience was infectious and Australian officials sought himout for photo opportunities and to promote Australia internationally.His public image was dented, however, in 2004 when he caused an uproarby holding his infant son in one arm while feeding large crocodilesinside a zoo pen. Irwin claimed at the time there was no danger to thechild, and authorities declined to charge Irwin with violating safetyregulations.Later that year, he was accused of getting too close to penguins, aseal and humpback whales in Antarctica while making a documentary.Irwin denied any wrongdoing, and an Australian Environment Departmentinvestigation recommended no action be taken against him.Stingrays have a serrated, toxin-loaded

barb, or spine, on the top oftheir tail. The barb, which can be up to 10 inches long, flexes if aray is frightened. Stings usually occur to people when they step on orswim too close to a ray and can be excruciatingly painful but arerarely fatal, said University of Queensland marine neuroscientistShaun Collin.Collin said he suspected Irwin died because the barb pierced under hisribcage and directly into his heart."It was extraordinarily bad luck. It's not easy to get spined by astingray and to be killed by one is very rare," Collin said.News of Irwin's death spread quickly, and tributes flowed from allquarters of society.At Australia Zoo at Beerwah, south Queensland, floral tributes weredropped at the entrance, where a huge fake crocodile gapes. Drivershonked their horns as they passed."Steve, from all God's creatures, thank you. Rest in peace," waswritten on a card with a bouquet of native

flowers."We're all very shocked. I don't know what the zoo will do withouthim. He's done so much for us, the environment and it's a big loss,"said Paula Kelly, a local resident and volunteer at the zoo, afterdropping off a wreath at the gate.Stainton said Irwin's American-born wife Terri, from Eugene, Ore., hadbeen informed of his death, and had told their daughter Bindi Sue, 8,and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December.The couple met when she went on vacation in Australia in 1991 andvisited Irwin's Australia Zoo; they were married six months later.Sometimes referred to as the "Crocodile Huntress," she costarred onher husband's television show and in his 2002 movie. "Our ideal is not the spirituality that withdraws from life but the conquest of life by the power of the spirit." -

Aurobindo.

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