Breaking News - Crocodile Hunter Dies

Steve, with his wife, Terri

The world has lost one of its best and much loved Australian wildlife activist, Steve Irwin.

CBS reports that Steve Irwin, the Australian television personality and environmentalist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray during a diving expedition, Australian media said. He was 44.

Irwin was filming an underwater documentary on the Great Barrier Reef in northeastern Queensland state when the accident occurred, Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on its Web site.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. said Irwin was diving near Low Isles near the resort town of Port Douglas, about 1,260 miles north of Brisbane.

A helicopter carrying paramedics flew to the island, but he died from a stingray barb to the heart, ABC reported on its Web site.

Telephone calls to Australia Zoo, Irwin's zoo in southern Queensland, were not immediately answered.

Irwin is famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catch cry "Crikey!" in his television program "Crocodile Hunter," which was first broadcast in Australia in 1992 and has aired around the world on the Discovery channel.

He rode his image into a feature film, and developed the Australia Zoo as a tourist attraction.

USA Today also reported that

Irwin was also seen as a vocal critic of wildlife hunts in Australia. The federal government recently dropped plans to allow crocodile safaris for wealthy tourists in the Northern Territory following his vehement objections.

Irwin told the Australian television program A Current Affair that "killing one of our beautiful animals in the name of trophy hunting will have a very negative impact on tourism, which scares the living daylights out of me."

He is survived by his American wife Terri, from Oregon, and their daughter Bindi Sue, 8, and son Bob, who will turn 3 in December.

That's kind of sad isn't it? Truth is. every time I watch his show, I think to myself... This guy places himself in danger so often, one day he is going to run out of lives. And what a way to die too - a sting to the heart by a stingray. I'm going to miss his infectious passion from all the Crocodile Hunter and Australian wildlife shows. My reflection on this piece of news? Think twice before jumping out of a plane, swimming with deadly stingrays or any other andrenaline pumping but life-threatening stunts. Especially if you have a wife and 2 kids. You owe it to them.

There is this message running acorss the msn network, asking people to place a turtle icon - (tu) on their message board in respect of a great man. Steve will be missed.