It was only yesterday whilst watching is show that I was thinking how lucky he's been and that it only takes one animal to get lucky...and then the news this morning. Really sad..

He's be the first to acknowledge that himself. I did find his shows very entertaining. Sounds like he was very unlucky, apparently stingray attacks are rarely fatal - not that I'll be going anywhere near one, or crocodiles, or snakes or large spiders for that matter!

Very sad. He did a lot to promote animal conservation. To be stung through the heart is extremely unusual and suggests the stingray felt very threatened Guess Irwin had become too fearless of dangerous creatures.

Yes, very sad . And also surprising; that it's not a monster crocodile but a usually harmless stingray ended his life.

Yeah that is a real shame. He was unique guy and I did enjoy his programs even if I did think he was a little bit crazy!!

Its very sad. I feel really sorry for his wife and two young kids.

I feel sorry for his family, but the guy was a bit of an idiot. He was popular in the US (surprise, surprise), but his shows rarely made it to free-to-air TV in Australia, because so many people here thought he was irresponsible. The "conservation" he did was, at least in one case, misguided. Opposing controlled culling of crocodiles in the waters of the Northern Territory in Australia and convincing brainless politicians to share his view was socially irresponsible given that they are grossly overpopulated.

Piglet, where do you get your information from that indicates crocodiles are "grossly overpopulated" in the Northern Territories? I don't understand why you question the conservation work that Irwin did. Culling crocs is not the way forward, and Irwin wanted us to realise that learning to live safely alongside wildlife is what's important.

kc, do you live "safely alongside wildlife" that is carnivorous and can grow to more than 6m in length?

Lesson on Australian geography: Northern Territory is singular. There are not multiple territories in the north of Australia, just one, the Northern Territory...as opposed to the states, such as Western Australia and Queensland.

Thanks for pointing out my error, but shame you didn't answer my question. In terms of croc over-population, the last state I heard of supposedly having a problem with them was Queensland, not the Northern Territory. I have spent a year living in Australia, including in an Aboriginal community in WA. Yes, crocs can pose a threat, as any dangerous animal can, including bulls etc in this country. Doesn't mean we have to get rid of them. The only way of being completely safe would be to kill them all, which is impossible and totally irresponsible. Crocs became a protected species in the early 70's because they were almost culled to extinction. If you don't want to be eaten by crocs, don't go in the water they inhabit! The thing I find most distressing in your post is the fact that you refer to Irwin as an idiot only hours after his death and dismiss the good work he's done. Please show a bit more respect.

Steve Irwin: conservationist? Maybe...

To me, he made fame by taking irresponsible risks with animals. There was usually some sort of motivation for wrestling with the biggest, most dangerous crocodile he could find: fitting a radio-tracker or something, but this was always secondary to the "action."

Lets face it: "Conservation" wasn't the reason why he was famous. "Croc-wrangling" as well as irritating other animals was. Sorry, but I have no sympathy for someone killed while (I think its safe to assume) trying to wrestle a stingray.

I have heard people comparing him to a "happy-slapper", assaulting animals while getting his mates to film it. I think this is an apt discription of his career.

What is your problem, kc, my alleged lack of respect or my desire for "controlled culling" of crocs? To save you the effort of deciding, I will address both your concerns: I did not suggest we "get rid of" crocs, hence the phrase "controlled culling". Having lived in the NT for 20 years, I believe I am entitled to an opinion on this matter and would have somewhat more practical knowledge than you have gathered this morning from google. By the way, staying out of the water does not make you safe. They are not sharks.
Regarding your other issue, I don't believe that just because someone has died we should sing their praises. Why do we do that? It happens all the time, from politicians and celebrities down to your own loved ones. I think it is more disrespectful to waffle on about how great someone was, just because they have died, than it is to tell it like it is. As I said, my heart goes out to his family, but I am not going to apologise for criticising someone, dead or alive.

Piglet, I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. I don't believe in killing crocs because I acknowledge that they are a native species that have been around a lot longer than us, and more often than not, it is human stupidity that creates the problems we have with them. Re respect for the dead, I'm not advocating singing their praises if you feel the opposite, but I don't see what slagging them off achieves. There are times when it's best to say nothing. I accept we feel differently on both of these issues but a bit of variety amongst folk is what makes the world go round

Ed - the Police say he didn't provoke the stingray (based on the video footage of his death)

Maybe the Stingray had watched his programme, guessed at what was coming and got a blow in early.