2006-09-03 21:27:59 · 23 answers · asked by RainBow 2 in News & Events ➔ Current Events
i will never forget the image of steve irwin talking to the camera while sharks were in a feeding frenzy all around him while he stood in the water...the guy was a crazy kook but he was fascinating, funny and very entertaining...i kind of felt one day his luck would run out the way he took risks dealing with wildlife but i would never have guessed it would take a stingray to be the culprit....my condolences to his friends and family....he was one of a kind and his legacy will continue as his shows run on animal planet
2006-09-05 03:58:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Stingray deaths are very rare. Their stinger is like a barbed knife. It's also covered in a toxin/poison. What most likely happened is that the stingray was startled and they are lightning fast like a snake striking. Their first instinct is to whip their tail around for protection while they swim away, and thats when it stabbed him. He probably knew right off he was in trouble. Supposedly with early reports are that he collapse after getting out of the water.
The barb went into his chest and either it struck his heart, which then he would die by bleeding to death, or it may have reacted with the poison in the barbs and created a heart attack. Either way, where he was; in a non-public part of the barrier reef, getting a helicopter there would have taken a long time. He was probably dead when they arrived.
This is from Wikipedia and yes they are deadly; dont' just guess; research your answer;
Fatal ray stings, such as that which killed Australian environmentalist Steve Irwin, are rare but can occur if stings are improperly treated, sever major arteries, or are in the pelvic region or chest.[1]
It was very bad luck. The stingray just got scared freaked out, and stabbed him. The barb is the size of a bayonet on an old rifle and I'm sure it did a lot of damage. It wouldn't go through the chest but it would tear anything it hit. He was really entertaining, fun to watch and an Icon in Australia. To them it's like the british were with Princess Diana's death. In fact, the prime minister there said that Steve Irwin helped him win the election by endorsing him. They became friends.
2006-09-04 04:36:51 · answer #2 · answered by Ice4444 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Rays are not normally deadly. Usually when a person is stung it is because they did not see the ray lying under the sand and step on it.
They do have a potent toxin but if hot water is applied to the site they are rarely fatal.
Since Mr. Irwin was stung near to his heart or possibly in his heart this was a freak accident that happened.
People have swum with rays for years now and they are actually quite docile creatures.
2006-09-04 06:46:52 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If one in a 1000 attacks from dangerous animal end in death and you mess with 1000's of deadly animal as Steve Irwin did then you probably know that one day you will die.
Not nice but the truth.
2006-09-04 04:36:11 · answer #4 · answered by David T 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Stingrays are generally not deadly - this was seriously a case of bad luck.
2006-09-04 04:30:19 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
stingray's aren't usually deadly, i think only a few people have ever been killed by one, the figures are really low... considering the amount of potentially lethal lifeforms he's handled in his career its a total shame and extremely unlucky whats happened to him..
deepest respects steve! you taught me to always grab a snake by it tail and hold it at arms length, something i'll always hold dear to my heart and keep with me... you never know when it might come in handy.
2006-09-04 04:33:33 · answer #6 · answered by muppet 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Bad luck!
2006-09-05 11:23:25 · answer #7 · answered by THOMAS B 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
apparently they havent had a death by stingray until now but they said that they dont know how close he got to it, knowing him very close, where as most people wouldnt.
2006-09-04 05:46:58 · answer #8 · answered by charlie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Stingrays are deadly when stepped on.........they have tails like barb wire..................ill hunt that stingray down of all the victims why steve
irwin................
2006-09-04 04:32:44 · answer #9 · answered by nathaniel b 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sort of shock, not that i watched much of him, when he was on telly. My kids are more famuliar with him, because he used to do a nature program on discovery kids with his wife.
Its upsetting news. Deepest sympathies go out to his family.
2006-09-04 05:28:57 · answer #10 · answered by lonely as a cloud 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋