Jan.3/2004   
Steve, croc, and his child by Stan Gielewski

I think most of you are already familiar with the story. The famous TV personality Steve Irwin, aka 'crocodile hunter', was filmed feeding a huge hungry crocodile at one of his shows at his crocodile ranch in Queensland, Australia. He is a 'pro'. He has done it a million times before. What was different this time though was the fact that at the time of the feeding the 'hunter' was holding his one month old son under his arm. The show was aired on TV and reactions followed. I would have probably just read this story and moved on, as I did with Michael Jackson's baby dangling. After all, the world of rich and famous is beyond my control. As a person involved with animals I felt I can't just sit on it. I deal with snapping turtles, which can be aggressive and dangerous - like crocodiles. For this reason, in my opinion, the issues of handling and safety are similar, especially if there are children involved. I know Steve Irwin is a 'pro'. He has a lot of experience with crocs and nobody doubts his expertise. I am sure he kept the safe distance. But...

Photo: Steve Irwin with his one month old son under one arm feeding a 13-foot crocodile. (image from TV, during show at his Australia Zoo reptile park in Brisbane, Australia, Jan.2, 2004)

I believe that if an adult chooses to face danger and takes chances it's ok, because he is responsible for his actions - good or bad. On the other hand a child, especially an infant, does not. I believe that Steve Irwin has the skills of a pro in handling crocodiles, but he lacks imagination and common sense of an adult.

A pro might know how to handle situations, but a master chooses to do so or not to do because he or she thinks of possibilities and 'what would happen if?' What would happen if Steve slipped his foot or had a sudden cramp? What if a fat fly from the unique and diverse Australian habitat chose to explore the depths of Steve's mighty throat while entertaining the spectators? Could Steve handle the choking and the child at the same time? Oh, I forgot about the crocodile... I would probably have a heart attack.

Irwin's defense was that he and his children live in a croc abundant place, and that he would be a bad parent if he didn't introduce his children to the crocs. Oh well... Should then parents living in the cities take infants to crime ridden neighborhoods because they should learn how to 'handle them'? I believe that the idea of showing crocs to the kids and teaching them about those any other 'not so friendly' creatures is a very good one, but there is place and time for everything. I think Irwin lives his life according to his own rules and showed no consideration for another defenseless being, his son in this case. Safe or not, pro or not, the exposure of an infant to this danger was unnecessary. In fact, I have never liked Steve Irwin's running, jumping, grabbing and tossing animals around as he does in his films. A true nature lover and animal handler does not do that. Screaming and jumping are not 'approved' tactics of true naturalists. And what he did at that show in Queensland was a self-centered, selfish act of an 'adult child'. Plain stupid - in my opinion.

After listening to Irwin's self-expressed justifications in front of the cameras, I came to the conclusion that he is not in denial - something I have hoped for. Something I would at least try to understand - after all it is not easy to face millions and admit being wrong. Unfortunately, I think Steve really doesn't get it. Out of control? I doubt it. He is a pro. Dangerous? - For sure.

Steve, croc, and his child - this is how Irwin's mind selects the order of importance. Sad. And considering his position, fame and money - disturbing.

Stan Gielewski, January 05/2004

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This is what others had to say about this:

"Forgive me for going off subject, but I have to vent. What is with the Crocodile Hunter ? Why is he so determined to destroy his former positive image ? I recently saw a video clip of him entertaining at an Australian business luncheon by swinging around a python and trying to scare the audience with it, by telling them it's deadly. It even bit someone. He did the same thing on a recent Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He is the Bad Crocodile Hunter and behaves like a very young, very immature teenaged boy who tries to scare little girls with a snake. The Bad Crocodile Hunter is bad for snakes, bad for himself and bad for snake hobbyists everywhere. I am not impressed. Me thinks he plays the fool.
------ Jon in Georgia USA"

"Excellent. I agree. I liked the quote that "apparently there are two Crocodile Hunters, and the new one is the Bad Crocodile Hunter. He is giving the herptile hobby a bad name, and swinging pythons in the air is just mean and disrespectful.
------ Iris S. (Gainesville, Florida)"

"The video clip of the Crocodile Hunter at that Australian business luncheon was shown on TV not long ago. It was as I described. The Crocodile Hunter was the entertainment. He came up on stage from a hole in the stage platform holding what may have been a carpet python, which he then began swinging around. He then pretended to stumble into the luncheon area (round tables with groups of people at each) and tried to scare everyone. The python bit a man at one of the tables. I then saw the Crocodile Hunter on a recent episode of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He had two pythons, swung them around, draped them on Jay Leno and on Russell Crowe and tried to scare the audience by telling them how deadly the snakes were, which he had told the Australian audience. I was a fan of this man and thought he did a good, refreshing job teaching people about wildlife. My opinion of him is that he is playing the fool, and leaving the wrong impression about snakes and snake handlers and hobbyists. He is apparently extremely immature. You may quote me from my first post to the Canadian turtle group. The "talk" around here (the Atlanta, Georgia metroplex) is that the man is behaving really badly just for publicity. Everyone calls him the Bad Crocodile Hunter, an obvious reference to the Bad Santa movie.
------ Jon in Georgia USA"