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Crocodile Hunter Death Touches Hundreds of Millions

Condolences from around the world continued to pour into Australia on Tuesday as fans came to grips with the death of the ?Crocodile Hunter?, Steve Irwin, in a freak accident while filming a documentary segment in the area of the famed Great Barrier Reef. Irwin, 44, was struck in the heart by a barb from a stingray swimming by him, and it is thought that he died almost instantly ? though some accounts say that the Croc Hunter pulled the barb out before dying. Irwin leaves behind his American-born wife, Terri, daughter Bindi, aged 8, and son Bob, aged 3.

Irwin made a name for himself in the United States thanks to his television series, called ?The Crocodile Hunter?, which following its debut emerged as the most popular show on the Animal Planet network. Combing his adventurous style of dealing with all sorts of deadly animals, animals he emphasized he loved as if they were his family, with a genial nature and famous catchphrase ?Crikey?, Irwin was estimated from his various entertainment enterprises and zoological operations to have taken in around $20 million a year. When it is considered that hundreds of millions of people watched Irwin, a truly global yet patriotic Australian celebrity has been taken.

However, the vast majority of Irwin?s financial intake went into buying up land to turn into ecological preserves as part of the Crocodile Hunter?s dedication to conservation. He lived in the Queensland state of Australia, and had a modest home near the Australia Zoo ? his base of operations and his public shows. Irwin was not without controversy during his professional career, but the vast amount of good he did for Australia?s wildlife and Australia itself (often providing his name or putting in an appearance free of charge when abroad) far outweighs the criticisms.