Hey Dan

Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin died today. He was stung by a stingray while shooting a TV program entitled “The Ocean's Deadliest" off the Australian coast. As most of you know I was not much of a fan of his. He poked things that should not be poked and harassed animals for the entertainment of TV viewers. In my view he lacked respect for wildlife. As a former zookeeper and wildlife enthusiast, he annoyed me.

This being said, I am in a little shock. It is kind of like finding out an old high school bully, you didn’t like, died in a bar fight. I really wanted him to learn that animals were actually dangerous, but not really this way.

He was an icon of wildlife conservation. A subject that needs as much attention as it can get. Wildlife conservation has lost a voice.

"It's unbelievable, really, you think about Steve Irwin and you think of people who are invincible." - Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus (Ohio) Zoo.