The Collegian

Issue date: 9/12/06 Section: Detour

Media Credit: Courtesy of http://rfleming.rmplc.com Irwin, posing with his most noted sidekick, a crocodile.

Media Credit: Courtesy of http://animal.discovery.com Irwin is survived by his wife and two children.

A good man passed away. Steve Irwin, better known as the "Crocodile Hunter," died as the result of a stingray barb piercing his heart. He was in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, shooting a new Discovery Channel children's program called-irony aside- The Ocean's Deadliest. He was in the water and a stingray, having been provoked somehow, shot its barb into Irwin's chest as previously stated, piercing his heart and killing him.

Irwin made a very successful career out of putting his safety in jeopardy. He devoted his life to bringing awareness to the plights felt by many endangered species, he also introduced his viewers to a wide array of animals that they might otherwise never see. He even starred in a movie based on his 'crocodile hunter' persona. Needless to say, he was a larger than-life man, with an important message: animals should be loved and treated with respect.

It is easy to view his actions skeptically, as running around battling crocodiles seems a bit gimmicky. Viewing some clips of his show on YouTube.com, though, shed some light into what he was actually about, and the message he was trying to express.

People always criticized him for the way he would yell, run around, and seem to provoke wild animals into a fight. Irwin, however, viewed this criticism as a good thing when people would get upset about him jumping on a crocodile's back and wrestling in the mud. He saw the outrage as positive because in the past, people would not hesitate to shoot these animals; whereas now they get upset if he is seen rolling around with one. The fact that people are now more sensitive regarding these creatures, once taken for granted, shows the effect he had on the public.

Irwin's actions were actually very helpful to the animals that he rescued from foreign places and returned to their natural habitats. He also exhibited a sense of compassion and reverence for the animals he dealt with that was greater than the type of love we humans seem to show each other. On YouTube.com, there is a clip in which Steve is overwrought with emotion after a very beloved croc dies. Irwin cries, and expresses the intense bond he felt with this particular croc. He was completely in love with what he did and it shows in clips like this one.

Steve Irwin died doing what he loved. That is something most people would want themselves: to go out on their own terms. While he was alive, he was extremely important in the wildlife conservation movement, bringing to mind issues most people normally don't consider. He was beloved by children and adults across the globe for his cartoon-ish appearance and quirky phrases, most notably 'Crikey!' The world will miss him. He did things no one else did, and taught us things in a way that made us laugh while we learned. He wasn't teaching rocket-science, he presented issues in a way that was accessible to everyone, and that is part of his importance.

His impact on the world is most evident in the permeable shock that was felt by his death. While it was not surprising that he died while being around a deadly animal, it is still very sad.

Hopefully, someone will follow in Irwin's footsteps and try to emulate the passion and care he put into each day and each animal he was around. Until that happens, his absence will be felt more and more each day.

Rest in peace, Steve.

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