Steve Irwin killed by sting-ray

The "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, who has done so much for conservation and the protection of wildlife in Australia and across the world, has been killed today in a tragic accident, aged 44.

According to reports, Irwin was killed by a sting-ray while filming a documentary in far north Queensland. The Queensland Ambulance Service have confirmed that he died of lacerations to the heart from a sting-ray's barbed tail.

Sting-rays are not aggressive, but they are dangerous, and will strike out with their poisonous barbed tail if trod on or startled.

Many Australians have been embarrassed by Steve Irwin's broad Aussie accent, his use of stereotypical slang like "crikey!" and "what a bewty!", and especially his habit of putting himself into "Danger! Danger! Danger!". But for all his joking about, he was a great populariser of nature, an environmentalist and conservationist, a man who brought a welcome sense of fun to a field that is often stuffy and boring. He was a true Aussie larrikin, in the good sense, a man who knew how to treat serious topics with affection, joy and respectful irreverence. He was a real Australian icon. He will be missed.

His producer and good friend John Stainton said:

Today the world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest Dad's on the planet. He died doing what he loved best, he left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind, he would've said 'crocs rule'.

Source: ABC Far North Queensland News.

More news reports here:

Bloomberg

Cairns Newspapers
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Also of interest may be his "Crocodile Hunter" website, and a collection of Steve Irwin quotes.

The world is just a little bit of a darker place without him.