Comments on: R.I.P. Steve Irwin http://blog.circusgeek.com/2006/09/04/rip-steve-irwin personal blog of a nerdy designer, now with 10% more nonsense Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:54:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: ryan http://blog.circusgeek.com/2006/09/04/rip-steve-irwin/comment-page-1#comment-231 ryan Fri, 08 Sep 2006 08:08:44 +0000 http://blog.circusgeek.com/2006/09/04/rip-steve-irwin/#comment-231 miranda: well, the barb of a stingray is typically 4" to 6" long, and they very rarely attack, only when threatened (according to Wikipedia, the tail with the barb is much a reflex action much like fight or flight, where it just happens whether the threat is real or imagined). According to the film crew who was there, there wasn't anything specific done to provoke such a reaction, so it really was a freak thing. Not to say that Mr. Irwin hadn't been provoking animals for years, most far more deadly than a stingray, but in this case it does seem pretty freak. If the barb hadn't pierced his chest and into his heart, he'd have probably been OK, it's extemely rare someone dies from a stingray. miranda: well, the barb of a stingray is typically 4″ to 6″ long, and they very rarely attack, only when threatened (according to Wikipedia, the tail with the barb is much a reflex action much like fight or flight, where it just happens whether the threat is real or imagined). According to the film crew who was there, there wasn’t anything specific done to provoke such a reaction, so it really was a freak thing. Not to say that Mr. Irwin hadn’t been provoking animals for years, most far more deadly than a stingray, but in this case it does seem pretty freak. If the barb hadn’t pierced his chest and into his heart, he’d have probably been OK, it’s extemely rare someone dies from a stingray.

]]> By: miranda http://blog.circusgeek.com/2006/09/04/rip-steve-irwin/comment-page-1#comment-230 miranda Fri, 08 Sep 2006 07:05:08 +0000 http://blog.circusgeek.com/2006/09/04/rip-steve-irwin/#comment-230 He crossed some major safety lines though. I read that the entire thing was filmed ( it was for a documentary) including him pulling out the 37" barb from his chest or wherever from the stingray. Though it was the venom that killed him, that's CRAZY!! Ok, all 37" didn't go in, but still. M. He crossed some major safety lines though. I read that the entire thing was filmed ( it was for a documentary) including him pulling out the 37″ barb from his chest or wherever from the stingray. Though it was the venom that killed him, that’s CRAZY!! Ok, all 37″ didn’t go in, but still.

M.

]]> By: Ghost Dog http://blog.circusgeek.com/2006/09/04/rip-steve-irwin/comment-page-1#comment-217 Ghost Dog Mon, 04 Sep 2006 21:09:22 +0000 http://blog.circusgeek.com/2006/09/04/rip-steve-irwin/#comment-217 I was a little surprised to hear the news, myself. I was thinking - as you mentioned - that the guy was invincible. Sad news. I was a little surprised to hear the news, myself. I was thinking - as you mentioned - that the guy was invincible. Sad news.

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