After 44 years of fearless showmanship, Steve Irwin, the quirky Australian zookeeper known to the world as the Crocodile Hunter, met his untimely fate today while filming on location. Though he was best known for wrestling with crocs, it wasn’t the monstrous reptiles that did him in but a rather harmless sting ray whose stinger pierced his heart.

It always seemed more en vogue to imitate Irwin’s over-the-top Australian accent than his dogged determination to preserve wildlife. But beneath the cries of “Oy” were true attempts to protect nature, and that’s something that he should be remembered for. Instead of seeing ten more goofy, khaki-clad Animal Planet hosts take his place, let’s hope that we see some kind of fund for conservationism formed in his name.

Crikey.

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