Death in the Wild

It is with great sadness that I write of the death of naturalist Steve Irwin -- the crazy, often goofy Australian who yelled "Crikey" while wrestling with an alligator.

Irwin (pictured) was killed by a stingray while filming a documentary in Australia.

While I did not necessarily agree with his antics, and the dangerous chances he took around animals, I do have a great deal of respect for anyone who attempts to educate people about the value of animals of all kinds -- and their importance to the world around us.

Like Rachel Carson, David Attenborough, and Marlin Perkins, Irwin spent his life trying to get people to understand animals. His is a great loss.

More about his death will be found in this article from the Associated Press.