Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, Mortally Wounded By Stingray

Steve Irwin, better known as the ‘Crocodile Hunter', was mortally wounded by a stingray while diving off the north Queensland coast during the filming of a documentary called ‘The Ocean's Deadliest'.

Steve had confronted some of the most dangerous animals in the world. The stingray, usually a peaceful animal, will only attack when threatened. It is a sad irony that Steve was killed by a passive creature.

His production team say he was swimming over a stingray, whose barb went up into his chest and put a hole in his heart. He was rushed to the Low Isles, where he was attended by Dr. Ed Loughlin within thirty minutes of the accident. Dr. Loughlin said there was nothing he could have done to save him from his ‘non-survivable injuries'. Loughlin said, “He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest. He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing."

Sting ray venom contains serotonin, 5-nucleotidase, and phosphodiesterase. 5-nucleotidase and phosphodiesterase are responsible for the necrosis and tissue breakdown common with stingray envenomations. Serotonin causes inexorable pain in the region of the injury.

Only three people in Australia's history have ever been killed by a stingray. A stingray will generally swim away from divers. If threatened, it may strike, with its barbed tail, at the arms or legs.

The news has shocked the world, especially Australians. People have been laying flowers at the zoo he and his family ran (north of Brisbane).

John Howard, Australia's Prime Minister, said "It's a huge loss to Australia. I am quite shocked and distressed at Steve Irwin's sudden, untimely and freakish death."

Steve Robert Irwin - Short Biography

-- Born in February 1962 to parents Lyn and Bob Irwin. His parents were animal naturalists.

-- 1968 - Steve was given a pet Scrub Python for his birthday. He would go out and catch rodents to feed his snake while his friends opened cans of pet food for their cats and dogs.

-- 1970 - The family moved to Queensland and started a small reptile park at Beerwah (Sunshine Coast). It became known as Australia Zoo and was a true family business. Steve was brought up in the Zoo and was involved in the daily feeding and care of the animals. He was also involved in the Zoo's day-to-day maintenance work. When he was nine his dad taught him how to jump and catch crocodiles in the rivers at night. Apparently every crocodile in the Zoo was either born there or caught with bare hands.

-- 1991 - Bob and Lyn retired. Steve took over management of the Zoo. The Zoo has flourished and expanded. A meeting with friend, TV Producer John Stainton, lead to the beginning of the program ‘Crocodile Hunter' in 1992, which became hugely popular all over the world.

-- 1992 - Steve married Terri Raines, from Oregon, USA.

-- 24 July 1998 - Daughter, Bindi Sue was born.

-- 1 December 2003 - Son Robert (Bob) Clarence was born

May He Rest In Peace

-- More about Steve Irwin (Wikipedia)
-- Stingray Injuries, Envenomation, and Medical Management
-- About Stingrays (Wikipedia)

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today