Steve Irwin.

[andy-hughes]

Steve would have been 57 today, a sad loss to wildlife TV.

I loved his endless enthusiasm, and his devil-may-care attitude - "Now this critter is asleep, and it's only really dangerous if you poke it with a stick and wake it up … so let's poke it with a stick and wake it up!!!"

[retrocop]

In the end it was he that was poked by a large Ray!! Ironic

[1ozzy]

"CRIKEY" as Steve would have shouted.

[Sqad]

Yes....his TV shows were excellent and he promoted wild life in simple terms, however, I wasn't impressed when he took his 2 year old child into the crocodile enclosure, with him, that was showboating taken to the extreme.
His family have taken over his enthusiasm for wild life, so his legacy goes on.

[1ozzy]

And so does his income.

Ever inquired how much it costs for a family to visit his zoo?

If you want a photo with an animal, add heaps.
A photo with his daughter and an animal was astronomical.

Money making machine.

[Sqad]

Give the punters what they want and they will pay up, ignore that and you will go out of business.....seems reasonable to me.

[1ozzy]

So he made lots of money from his antics and the zoo he inherited.

T'was the death of him.

[vetuste_ennemi]

My late wife was a lover of all wild life things and the Irvins and Attenboroughs etc who presented them on film. And we watched all that stuff together.

She was very upset by the Irivin death. And by the sad interview we saw of his widow.. I think she was American rather than Australian. On camera the young widow was very brave.

[vetuste_ennemi]

By the way, making money from your hobby is not necessarily dishonourable.

[TonyV]

Just on the edge of being affordable at £94 for family of 4 day pass?
But thats business I guess to get the pricing structure right.

[1ozzy]

A very touching couple of posts VE.

My heart bleeds for all the fans of Steve.

[anneasquith]

I was not a fan. I think he poked and agitated wild animals for “ tv value” . Cruel .

[vetuste_ennemi]

I'm more concerned about m wife ththe late Mr Irwin, as it happens.

Thanks for the "get your priorities right" post, though, Ozzie.

[vetuste_ennemi]

..my late wife rather than the late....

[1ozzy]

I inquired 6 years ago about entry prices to his zoo, Mum, Dad and three offspring classed as adult age, over 16 years.
Nearly $400 to walk through the gate.

Obviously scant regard for "average punters", to quote Sqad.

More so ripping off international tourists based on the "crikey, look at me shows"

I reckon he was a money hungry git!!!

[1ozzy]

//I was not a fan. I think he poked and agitated wild animals for “ tv value” //

Spot on Anne, The more movement and aggression from an animal the better the tele show.

Look at me, what a hero I am, controlling these wild animals, until one got the better ;-(

Granted he did do a lot for conservation but he made sure it was profitable.

[TonyV]

1ozzy these are current prices so gone down a bit. Not that I can see me visiting in foreseeable future.

https://www.australiazoo.com.au/visit-us/admission-prices/

[Sqad]

$A400 is roughly £200 sterling which does seem a bit high, as for London Zoo, the equivalent for the same number of people would be about £120 sterling.
However, if he can attract that admission fee.......good luck.

[ladybirder]

I'm with Anne here. Can't bear to see animals mistreated and in my view that is what he did.

[andy-hughes]

ladybirder - // I'm with Anne here. Can't bear to see animals mistreated and in my view that is what he did. //

Does that mean you boycott I'm A Celebrity - as I do?

[ladybirder]

No Andy, not boycott as such, I just don't watch it as I'm not that interested.
But if you boycott it then good for you. I read about it and it sounds cruel to me, eating live creatures, at the very least kill it first if you must. I do hope the programme makers get some stick for doing it.