The Crocodile Hunter pulls a Michael Jackson (2 Viewers)

[bluesky100]

I'm sure you all heard about this latest incident bringing about headlines in the news.

Irwin takes baby son to croc feeding

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/0104/02croc.html

BRISBANE, Australia -- Crocodile hunter Steve Irwin took his month-old son to his first croc feeding on Friday, offering the reptile a chicken with one hand and holding the baby in the other.

With a capacity crowd looking on, Irwin dangled a dead chicken before the 13-foot crocodile named Murray, which snapped up the offering. Irwin's tiny son Bob looked on from his other arm.

"He's one month old, so it's about time Bob got out there and did his first croc demo," the Australian celebrity told the crowd at his Australian Zoo.

Irwin's wife Terri, who gave birth to her second child on Dec. 1, also attended the show, billed as Bob's "croc feeding debut."

Irwin's show, "The Crocodile Hunter," served as the basis for the movie "The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course," which came out in 2002.

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He is a complete and utter fool and is getting the flack he deserves - he cannot be unaware of the tragedy that befell another "crocadile farm" tourist attraction up near Mackay. The daughter of the owner slipped and was "bitten" by an old croc that they had which had no teeth - safe yes - unfortunately no - Massive massive cruch fractures/compatment syndrome and infections from the swampy water the Crocs like and she ended a bilateral amputee with other parts missing as well.

 

[Rorix]

I am of the opinion that at no time was the baby in any real danger. That said, I don't believe that there would be any benefit in terms of 'croc education' when a child is a mere month old.

 

[freaking_out]

Originally posted by Rorix
I am of the opinion that at no time was the baby in any real danger...

na, but just one slip could've made the baby go into the water- and get swallowed up by the crocs....that steve erwin guy has crossed the line this time!

 

[bluesky100]

I see your point Rorix - and yet, I'm sure he is a loving father and would do nothing to place his baby in harms way. Still, a single slip may have proved fatal.

Then again and not that I am defending Irwin's - as he's done it before, when his 5-year-old was little, then at least he's not a novice like MJ was!!!

Will also add - this news story in some ways is making me think of that famous line, spoken w/ a heavy Australian accent-

"Perhaps the dingo ate your baby."

 

[Rorix]

The guy is an experienced professional and I doubt he would do anything which could conceivably put his child in danger. I mean, sure - one slip COULD have caused chaos. But in the same vein, one slip while carrying a baby near a major road COULD cause chaos.

 

[Generator]

A parent could slip at any time, no matter the situation. Irwin knew what he was doing, unlike Jackson with his child.

Edit: I didn't see Rorix's post, so mine seems to have a similar message. Eh.

 

[...]

anyone see his reaction in ACA tonight?

i saw like 5seconds of it but he seems to be damn pissed

 

[Rorix]

*raises hand*

For those that didn't, he basically said that the only thing he'd do differently in hindsight was that he wouldn't allow the public to see because he made a mistake in assuming they would understand that he was teaching his child croc safety. He also said that the coverage was biased and that an (unshown) surveilance tape would show that there was never any danger.

Like I said earlier, I don't really think a one month old baby can learn a lesson about crocodiles. If no lesson can be learnt and there is a risk (even a small risk), logic would dictate that the baby shouldn't even be in there. But I think he has a right to raise his child how he likes within limits, and I don't think the limits were reached.

 

[Loz#1]

I can agree with him saying his children are not being raised like a normal family, but what person in their right mind would put a defenceless child in front of such a dangerous animal? I mean, that crocodile could have attacked at any time and reaction time might not have been sufficent.

 

[mic]

i think the whole thing has been blown out of proportion, but still, what he did was irresponsible.

he didn't support the baby's neck properly either, and 1 month old babies have very soft necks. Steve Irwin is lucky he didn't slip, otherwise things might not be so rosy.

and how would a baby remember it anyway?

 

[Nearlyfinished!]

No matter what anyone says, that croc and the other animals in Irwin's zoo are WILD animals. Their natural instincts to hunt will always be there - even if born in captivity. Even a lot of common pet dogs are dangerous to have around children the age of Irwin's. What that embarrassment to Australia did was absolutely insain, although his dealing with the media in the aftermath has been highly amusing -his bumbling and metaphors are fantastic! Surely the mother of this 1 month old baby had at least some concern that her baby may be injured. And another thing, he claims he was put on this earth to raise awareness of conservation and animal rights. All he has amounted to is a court jester for idiot Americans to laugh at, and what about the rights of his children to safety?????

 

[AGB]

but come on, seriously, would a father really put his son in danger? lets think about it, if you had to find someone who is an expert on crocodiles, he would be one of them. naturally, he knows what he is doing around crocs (his wife obviously felt the same as she was standing there in the background with a smile on her face the whole time...)

there were 6 people stationed around the crocodile, which couldnt be seen on the video, and if anything did happen to go wrong, there were people on hand to contain the situation.

also, the people that were actually at the show did not have a problem with it....they could see that the baby was safe and that no harm could come to it.....everyone watch ACA tonight and see the real video, then make up your minds.......

finally, this was an incident that happened in a CONTROLLED environment, and that is something i think people are forgetting... sure maybe if he had taken his son on one of his safaris, or whatever they are called, then it would be a completely different story, but this happened literally in his backyard

 

[cro_angel]

i agree with you AGB
he wouldnt have taken the kid out in front of cameras and stuff if he thought he was going to fall or something
if hes done it hundreds of times with crocodiles all around the world you could classify him an expert by now
although he isnt setting a good example for other people..

 

[freaking_out]

Originally posted by Loz#1
... I mean, that crocodile could have attacked at any time and reaction time might not have been sufficent.

also, if the croc. charged up at him- he would've had to fend for himself as well and hence maybe drop the maybe....all in all, its just a unnecessary risk to take, and its gonna stuff up his reputation!

 

[cro_angel]

i dont know about you but i know alot of parents and they wouldnt defend themselves before their kids
he would have lifted up the baby first or put it on his head or something before thinking about himself

 

[Nearlyfinished!]

The point i'm trying to make is that the crocodile, like all animals, was unpredictable. A human cannot always know what said croc is going to do, even though the handler has grown up with wild animals his whole life. No one denies Irwin is a croc expert (among other things). He went about the whole situation in a totally unprofessional way and has not even explained himself in a coherent or 'non-puplicity stunt' way. The guy is absolutely full of shit and i have no respect for him, more so now than ever. And there's also no denying, by his supportors or those against him, that it will take more than a lot of big talking and the like to get out of the mess he has landed himself in. If i was in his position i would think that the best thing to do is to say that everything he did was wrong, not just performing the stunt to the public.

 

[Cape]

Irwin knew what he was doing, he is a professional, its his job. With the crocodile being in captivity, the croc would have been used to humans constantly being around it and therefore would not be as dangerous as if it was found in the wild. I think that the baby was as safe in Irwins hands than anywhere else. Considering that they live in croc infested areas, it is never too early to start learning about the crocs & i think that the whole thing has been over blowen.

 

[AGB]

i completely agree with cape.....

also, how do u know that that crocodile isnt a nice crocodile

 

[cro_angel]

yeh.. i mean i can be pretty nasty if ur holding a piece of food that i want.. but if i get that then im happy and i wont hurt you

 

[Loz#1]

As far as i'm concerned putting himself in danger is one thing. Putting both himself and a one-month old child in danger is another, especially when we all know that he could have done the sensible thing and NOT taken the child in there.