The animal jihad appears to be taking a strategic approach, picking off those humans who best know their wily ways:
[Crocodile Hunter Steve] Irwin, 44, died this morning after being fatally injured while filming a nature documentary off Queensland. The news has shocked the nation and prompted a rush of tributes from politicians and the public alike….
Mr Stainton said Irwin had gone “over the top of a stingray and a stingray’s barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart”. “He possibly died instantly when the barb hit him, and I don’t think that he … felt any pain.”
Sounds like an ambush to me. But considering how the Crocodile Hunter enjoyed amusing himself by messing around with dangerous animals, I think this unfortunate event falls into the “not exactly a big surprise” category. I’d always assumed that he’d get it from a sea snake after seeing him messing around with those incredibly venomous beasts in the water. At least I thought it was him, I suppose it could have been one of his imitators.
The problem is that Irwin never learned the lesson of the great Marlin Perkins, namely, you talk to the camera while one of your poorly paid and expendable employees goes in and wrestles the alligator. And now Mankind has lost one of its potential leaders in the Global Struggle Against Violent Animals.
Beware the squirrels.
PS – I have to note that this sounds too freakish and ironic to be true. I wouldn’t be shocked if it turned out to be some sort of publicity stunt.
PPS – The Mad Aussie says it’s true and that there’s a national day of mourning Down Under. Go figure.