I sat last night and watched an Animal Planet special on Steve Irwin. He was one strange character. But fun to watch, just the same. I was sad to see that he was killed while filming a show that he and his daughter, Bindy, were to be doing together. She is only 8 years old, her little brother, Bob, two. A shame they will not be able to grow up with their father. I think they would have had some great experiences we only wish we could have. Who knows, maybe his wife, Terry, will keep up his traditions and work.
I know how dangerous stingrays can be. Living in Florida, we see them all the time when we are fishing. Nasty little creatures. The tail is like a long serated blade, while about 6 to 8 inches up, is a barb hook. They have the ability to use that tail like a spear. When the tail goes in, it is usually up to the barb. The only way to release it, it tearing the flesh as it is pulled out. There is a poison in the barb that can be very painful as well. We usually just cut the line when we snag a stingray. Although they can be good to eat, we prefer not to take any chances. I don’t think I would like to swim with them, as I have seen others do.
As with anything in the wild, you never know when they may attack.
I know that there will be many people who will miss the antics of the “Crocodile Hunter”. My children, for one. They enjoyed making fun of his charasmatic approach to nature and the wild. I will say this, when we walk in the woods and I tell them, “You need to be quiet.”, they always answered with “That Crocodile Guy isn’t ever quiet, and look at all the stuff he sees”. How do you argue with that logic?

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