Ok, so very short entry since I need to leave soon. I just wanted to say a few things about the Crocodile Hunter, since a lot of people have been asking me. The outpouring of grief and support for his family has been, to make an understatement, enormous. The government offered him a state funeral (which it almost never does) and Steve’s father politely declined. Saying he was just a “regular bloke,” the Irwin family decided it wasn’t what Steve would have wanted. There have also been talks of naming a national park after him. The Crocodile Hunter put Australia on the map and people here love him for it. There have been a few dissenters who argued that the fatal stingray attack was “revenge by the animal world.” However, you won’t find many who agree with that since Steve Irwin has single handedly made conservation popular and taught millions to appreciate nature.

There’s a memorial service for Steve this week and it’s going to be big. Thousands camped out for tickets and I think it’s supposed to be televised on a couple of channels. Steve Irwin’s death was an enormous tragedy not only for Australians, but for the animal world and being here when it happened will be one of the most unforgettable events of my semester abroad.

Posted by Jason at 03:32 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)