Poetic justice or near tragedy. You decide.

With the news of the tragic death of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, stabbed through the heart by a stingray while filming a nature program, I was reminded of similar story. Well, maybe not so similar, because the victim was not a committed conservationist like Irwin, but a deep sea fisherman. Which makes a difference, at least to me, so I'm not sure exactly how to react to his. I'm not making fun of this. The human victim could easily have died. Still . . .

Ian Card, 32, was in stable condition at King Edward VII Hospital in the British Island territory from a wound that his doctor said could have been fatal.

"He was very lucky," said Dr. Christian Wilmsmeier. "It was a very serious injury."

Card and his father, Alan, both operators of a charter fishing boat and experienced marlin fishermen, had just hooked the fish Saturday when it suddenly leapt out of the water, impaled Ian Card just below his collar bone and knocked him into the ocean.

"The fish all of a sudden changed direction and jumped. The fish made a leap and Ian just happened to be in the way," Alan Card said.

The younger fisherman managed to struggle free while his father cut the line and helped his son get back into their boat, the Challenger.

They managed to make it back to shore in about 40 minutes for emergency medical treatment.

The fishermen estimated the marlin at about 800 pounds (363 kilograms) and about 14 feet (4.3 meters) in length. (AP)

Tags

More like this

Steve Irwin, while an admirable champion of conservation, was also an outspoken conservative, and supporter of John Howard (Australia's Prime Minister, and an arch-neoconservative supporter of war, eroder of workers rights, and imprisoner of refugees).

I feel for his family, but I also must confess that I am not surprised that something like this happened.

By attack rate (not verified) on 05 Sep 2006 #permalink

Irwin was, and some of those other animal handlers on TV are, insufficiently safety conscious. Continued display of their attitude towards safety would get them fired by my, and many other, employers.

Irrespective of how in control he felt, Irwin took unneccesary risks. I wish that, in addition to pushing conservation, they pushed safety awareness.

Irwin's death was entirely preventable.

Irwin came to UCLA this spring to an Australian meet and greet day. There was the crocodile grab and the huge cobra grab...

Remembering what he used to do on television, and what he has been doing to keep viewer-ship on the Discovery Channel, I wonder if the pressure to be more and more 'edgy' (and the tole that time plays on us all) played into his death.

Though the incident and its ramifications very much makes me sad.

What happened to the fish ?

Both- for both.

I've personally known a number of folks who've been severly injured or died from sharks, bears and other 'wildlife encounters'. Where I live, bear attacks on 'bush' workers are common. I guess that's what you get for breaking into their dining or bed rooms.

But for Irwin, it's a great pity that someone would die in so useless a fashion. The description of the event illustrated that the camerman and Irwin boxed the ray in, an avoidable and dangerous action for any wildlife expert. With wildlife conditions can quickly change, perhaps underwater more so.

And encouraging panic in wildlife was what Irwin seemed most photogenic doing.

-But Irwin's producer John Stainton admitted Mr Irwin was too close to the stingray and that he had pushed the boundaries once too often.

"He was too close to everything in his life," he said. "He was always on the precipice, he always pushed himself to the very limits.

"But I thought he was invulnerable and I think he did too.

"He has been in some very close shaves."-

Ana: The fish in the second story got away. I assume the stingray did, too.

Attack rate: You write...

Steve Irwin, while an admirable champion of conservation, was also an outspoken conservative, and supporter of John Howard (Australia's Prime Minister, and an arch-neoconservative supporter of war, eroder of workers rights, and imprisoner of refugees).

I feel for his family, but I also must confess that I am not surprised that something like this happened.
**************************
While you did put a carriage return between the first and second paragraph, you did not segue the two. The reason I bring this up is that your comment could easily be read that you were not suprised this happened to him based on his political affiliations. Being an optimist, I'm going on the idea that you meant not suprised because he was always pushing the limits of human-animal interaction. Others may not see it that way (or may see it that way now because I pointed it out =\ )

Unfortunately, Hollywood will soon make a movie about him. Probably staring Val Kilmer or Brad Pitt. There will even be a bad PR stunt about how the lead got hurt during the filming to promot the movie.

It may sound cliche' to live by the sword, die by the sword. It sure sounds to me a lot better than a painful, shameful, undignified death.

I guess the editorial on this will always take two sides. Irwin was swimming above and slightly to the left of the ray when it just stuck the barb out and whacked him without warning. The Aussies said today that he was just astonished when it happened.

I have ridden rays before, always mindful of the barb. Normally you would get it in the leg or abdomen. Its fun to tickle the belly of the dragon. I dont know what his plans were for the show on this but he had been very lucky until now. It happened before he tried as I understand it to do whatever he was going to do. Lucky, but not this time. He was on the approach to handle the beast and it got him first. Right place at the wrong time.

Risk takers are in every field and there is always someone to run the films and say, "Should've done this or done that." He was stabbed in the heart before he got into contact with the animal. Had he not pulled it out, he might have made it. First instinct reaction I imagine is to pull it out.. I never got barbed but my friend did right next to his gonads in 93. I could hear the scream in the water. An hour in surgery he took to get it out. We had to tie wrap his hands behind him to keep him from pulling on it on the way in.

I hear a lot about he got what he deserved from the animal rights people but he was a big conservationist. Personally, I always thought he would get it from a croc, shark or some big damned snake. He is going to be missed without a doubt and I enjoyed his shows. It was always done at the risk of safety but he certainly didnt do it haphazardly. It takes some real guts to climb into a pen with a near 800 pound croc and rope him up, or worse in the bush finding one that has been eating people. Thats how I will remember Irwin, down in Indonesia a few years back in the bush dragging the beast out of his lair for a relocation to save villagers and their kids. Kind of like a doctor of sorts. Gee doc, I have this croc problem and it keeps pulling my legs off. Well get me some rope and call me in the morning-Guts.

By M. Randolph Kruger (not verified) on 05 Sep 2006 #permalink

Maybe I'm less removed from my cave-dwelling (and tree-swinging) ancestors than most, but I have found saltwater surf fishing a fascinating and challenging venture. I hope not to start a debate over the use of animals as sport but feel, all things considered, catch and release of large fish species is a worthwhile pursuit.

By sharpstick (not verified) on 05 Sep 2006 #permalink

I'm a diver and have had numerous close encounters with stingrays. Most divers have. Close interaction is common.
Thousands of divers per year feed the rays at Stingray City in Grand Cayman, for example. Stingrays are gentle creatures. Usually, it's not divers who get hurt, but bathers who step on one accidentally in shallow water. Makes me wonder what really happened here.

Too bad for his children that he kept taking such risks.

Suppose he'd be happier going out during a documentary the way he did, than to die getting hit by a drunk driver on the road, or something, I guess, but, still...

By crfullmoon (not verified) on 05 Sep 2006 #permalink

Gosh, two posts in one week, very rare for me.

As a 20 year resident of alaska and former National Park Service Ranger I have spent considerable time warning tourists away from bears and to my mind the more dangerous moose. Moose are more dangerous because they are more common and being that they are not predators of man, are treated far too casually. But you only have to be charged once by an angry mama moose to know this animal can put the serious hurt on you. My best advice: Give any wild animal lots of space. Buy a good set of binoculars or a digital camera and get up close and personal using superior human technology.

Hey Reveres I am not any sort of health care pro, but love your blog and read it every day. Keep up the good work.

By angela in alaska (not verified) on 05 Sep 2006 #permalink

Angela: I'm glad you mentioned 'momma moose'.

While I've been charged by bears, it was a very unhappy cow moose who chased me and a fellow worker up some trees in northern BC Canada. We had come upon her week old cub curled up behind a log about 20 feet away, while out surveying. My co-worker said "Oh look an abandoned calf." I said "Watch out the mom is around somewhere!" and advised standing still till we figured out where she was. Then she charged out of the brush and we couldn't miss her. We started walking away but she followed running after us- then we ran too! After a good trot through small pine we made it up some of the few larger trees around. She stayed for about 20mins aggravating over us.

I'm not sure how we could have prevented it. We walked carefully away but she was already defensive. If you're in the bush there's a risk from wildlife. Prudence and keen observation might save your life. But circumstance had alot to do with it in this case.

Darin - there was no intent to link Steve Irwin's political affiliations with his death.

Blame my poor phrasing on lack of sleep. I'm surprised that something like this didn't happen sooner due to the fact that he worked doing dangerous things in dangerous environments.

By attack rate (not verified) on 05 Sep 2006 #permalink

Darin's comment on Steve Irwin's death..."a painful,shameful,undignified death"... er,alternatively,it might be seen as tragic,spectacular,rapid and memorable.Of course his family and loved ones are hurting and one has sympathy.I lost my brother on Mt Ruapehu;he fell down a crater lake and died of exposure;like Irwin,he took huge risks and his premature death was inevitable.Is this risk taking selfish,self-centered,noble,estimable,inevitable or just plain stupid?All of the above probably.

Those of us who work with and around wild animals know the risks and accept them. For us, the rewards are greater. To share time and space with those animals which touch our hearts is worth the risk of danger from those same animals. I know each time I reach into a cougar's cage (usually to hand-feed a fussy eater) I could lose a finger, a hand, or have my arm mauled. The director of the sanctuary as well knows she could be killed any day by one of her beloved tigers. We do it because to not do it would be unthinkable. Working with wild animals was Steve's passion and his life; he died doing what he loved to do; would that we could all be so fortunate.

May we all have less scrutiny devoted to our death, whether it be from diabetes, heart disease, copd or any other. Many of us could extend our lives if we lived safer, more politically correct lives...no meat, no nicotine, no sugar, no fats, exercise daily...you get the picture. I am truly saddened for the loss of his family. I am truly happy that he lived while he was here. After working for hospice, I feel life is more how we lived, than why we died.

By Debbie in Ar (not verified) on 06 Sep 2006 #permalink

I think the fact that so many of us who never met the man felt his death as such a personal loss speaks for the character of Steve Irwin and the value of what he gave us. None-the-less, risk takers should always take common sense along with the ride...and the best do. I think that, as his producer said, Steve did feel he was invulnerable. I doubt that he died believing he was dying...just an annoying injury that he'd get over. My thought is that the risk takers who start believing they can never be killed are the ones that are, because they no longer use try to protect themselves, to take the sensible precautions I'm sure they would advise anyone else to do.

By mary in hawaii (not verified) on 06 Sep 2006 #permalink

Debbie in Ar: Thank you for your comments, I agree with you. Steve Irwin was so full of energy, so full of life and the love of life that just hearing his name made me smile. He will be dearly missed.