Steve Irwin under Federal Government investigation [Archive]

Samba

06-14-04, 11:23 AM

Worse things have happened... I am still unsure of WHY he's being investigated. Whales are terrorized everyday by 'sight-seeing' boats all the time.

I have swam with humpbacks during their migrations past Puerto Rico, where I used to live... should I be under investigation too? Whales WILL approach you out of curiosity, so I don't discount his story completely.

Maybe I missed something... why is he under investigation?

V.hb

06-14-04, 11:30 AM

I agree with Samba.

Thats completely rediculous to charge him. We have people killing endangered species illegally every day, yet we go after a guy who did no harm to the animals whatsoever. Talk about ironic. He does have alot of enemies obviously. I think he deserves alot more credit than he recieves..

V.hb

06-14-04, 11:38 AM

I will add it does look like he didnt respect the laws when it comes to the penguins, but like i said before theres tons of animals being slaughtered for rediculous reasons and you're going to a charge a man for coming within 5 metres of them....

marisa

06-14-04, 11:46 AM

This is totally different than migrating whales coming up to someone swimming on the beach.

He did things in Antartica that are against the laws. What about the guy who might have spent the past ten years of his life in Antartica researching these animals from a distance to observe natural behaviours, following the rules, and now Steve has come by sliding down the hill with penguins and swims with the whales there? I think he should have to follow the laws like anyone else. Especially in fragile enviroments like Antartica.

Marisa

BoAddict

06-14-04, 11:47 AM

looks like more publicity for him ,
this is another stupid response by the people who want to charge him

jmo

Mike

Samba

06-14-04, 12:49 PM

I understand now... yes everyone should obey the laws but that doesn't mean everyone will. I thought researchers and such have special permission to observe protected animals in said environments. I don't think it was the smartest thing for him to do, but you can't change the past. Looking at the situation I think there was little harm done in his foolishness. Be glad he wasn't a poacher...

nita

06-14-04, 02:41 PM

He is lucky, there was a video of a woman who was swimming in Hawaii when a pod of whales came up. She decided to stay and swim with them and one grabbed her foot and dragged her under nearly drowning her. She was charged also for interfering with the wildlife. Why should the laws be different for Steve?

Siretsap

06-14-04, 02:51 PM

Nita, you sure she was charged? I saw that video, you forgot to mention that the whale did bring her back up to the surface thus saving her life. (goes to show you how sometimes not all creatures are here to harm us). You made it sound like the whale was trying to kill her, when she wasn't at all.

From what I heard she wasn't charged and started to study those whales.

Soul_Reaper

06-14-04, 03:07 PM

"slides down hillsides with penguins; almost rubs noses with the notoriously dangerous leopard seal; and spends time in the inspirational company of two friendly humpback whales."

Ok call me stupid but, what exactly is so evil about sliding down slopes with penguins or swimming around with some curious whales?

I mean, if i could i would do it too...

marisa

06-14-04, 03:18 PM

The problem is exactly that Soul Reaper. These animals are under protection laws to keep us AWAY from them so they can engage in normal behaviours without MORE human influence. Laws against getting close to wildlife are not strange. They are commonplace in areas with protected wildlife or fragile ecosystems like Antartica.

When someone goes and "slides down hills" with penguins, touches dangerous seals and interacts with whales there you disrupt everything the laws are trying to keep intact. Not to mention there are legitamite researches out there painstakingly building blinds, spending weeks if not years observing these animals in their natural form.

I wasn't against Steves baby feeding croc thing. But this I feel should be treated like anyone else. If I went out to Antartica and started messing around intentionally with wildlife, this would be one of my last posts as I would have to face the penalty. If he broke a law, he will have to face up to it. Or else, why have laws?

Marisa

Siretsap

06-14-04, 03:31 PM

Ok if him sliding with penguins and swiming with whales is messing around intentionally wildlife, then we all should stop our herping expeditions, cause we know we do more than just swim with whales. Just picking up a snake or moving a rock has the same impact if not a greater impact then swiming with whales.

They are making it a big case out of almost nothing. Emptying our anger from our 1000 years of devistating nature and killing too many things on one guy who swims with a whale is insane.

Neo

06-14-04, 03:54 PM

it's the same reason we can't feed the wild animals in a park. i think it's different with herping expeditions because mammals grow different connections and dependencies to their environment than reptiles. and a lot of you are right that so many other people violate these laws, but steve gets caught cause he's a celebrity and always being watched

marisa

06-14-04, 04:31 PM

The whole point is there is a LAW against it! If it isn't a big deal, then fine he can spend energy changing the law.

I feel marijuana isn't a "big deal" but that doesn't mean I can use that as my defense if I were to get in trouble with the law for using it. It's the LAW. You either follow it, don't get caught breaking it, or change them.

Marisa

jay76

06-14-04, 04:50 PM

Personally, I think everyone should be subject to the same laws, be they celebrities or not.

python_diva_06

06-14-04, 05:28 PM

marisa, you can not tell me that you have never broken a law...honstly...i mean to tell you the truth if i had the oppertunity i would do it too, against the law or not...

marisa

06-14-04, 05:30 PM

I just said in plain view I break the law by smoking marijuana.

I also said you either accept the law and follow it, don't get caught, or use your energy to change the laws. You don't do something thats against the law, then after people want to prosecute say "oh but it's a dumb law"

Marisa

munchy

06-14-04, 05:32 PM

well i dont know exactly what that particular law entails so i cant really say much on the topic but i think people should get off his jock...

python_diva_06

06-14-04, 05:36 PM

agreed!

meow_mix450

06-14-04, 05:41 PM

o.k, everyone here has probly broken the law, purposly or accidenty, marisa you have a good point it is the law. Now there charging steve irwin cause he was close with whales. What about people who kill tigers for there skin, what about the people who kill rhinos for there horn, and elephants. They are trying the best to stop these people but it still happens....out of everyone who hurts wildlife steve irwin was charged for coming clsoe to the whales cause of curosity

Also for the seals and penguins, people have them as pets, the other day they had a story about a man who had a seal, and this was on the animal mircles(sp)

"In fact, we filmed them, they're coming up to me while I'm on the iceberg, they're swimming all the way around me and I was freezing to death."

Irwin said that after he returned to the boat, the whales stayed with it for more than two hours.

Now the whales came up to him, and it was all an accident. He did not mean to meet up with these whales. If theres a video we could have seen maybe it would make more sense as to what happened.

My point is that i dont think he should be charged but just a warning, there going a bit far

Meow

marisa

06-14-04, 05:51 PM

I agree with that as well. A warning is enough. I never said he needed prision time.

I just do not agree with statements like "get off his jock" and who cares. Beucase if these attitudes prevail, why not let everyone go up to the Antartic and pet whatever they wish?

That was my point. And BTW there aren't tons of people roaming the Antartic not getting charged. It wasn't like he was singled out in that area of the world. It's a strict law for an unforgiving private place that should remain as humanless as possible. Just because tigers are being killed in an overpopulated India, doesn't mean we should just throw all caution to the wind about other unexplored places. The laws work in some cases and in this case I think he should have some sort of punsihment just like you or I would.

Marisa

meow_mix450

06-14-04, 05:58 PM

i agree, my point was that charging him was just over board, and should have just gotten a warning.

Quote by:Marisa
"I just do not agree with statements like "get off his jock" and who cares. Beucase if these attitudes prevail, why not let everyone go up to the Antartic and pet whatever they wish?"

Yes you are right, if nothing was done then many people may start to do the same thing, that i can understand. If he was to do it again then he should be charged:)

Meow

nita

06-14-04, 06:21 PM

On the show I saw they stated that she was fined a few thousand dollars. Yes the whale brought her back to the surface thus "saving her life" but had it not dragged her under she wouldn't have needed saving. They are wild animals not something to just go play with. I'd love to see these people run into a grizzly, think they would go and pet that???? Just because these animals have been domesticated doesn't mean that they are ok to play with in the wild.

Originally posted by Siretsap
Nita, you sure she was charged? I saw that video, you forgot to mention that the whale did bring her back up to the surface thus saving her life. (goes to show you how sometimes not all creatures are here to harm us). You made it sound like the whale was trying to kill her, when she wasn't at all.

From what I heard she wasn't charged and started to study those whales.

Tim and Julie B

06-14-04, 06:32 PM

Maybe they will reach a settlement and instead of jail time he can just pay the psychiatric bills for the traumatized penguins and whales. TB

Samba

06-15-04, 08:52 AM

What Law, did he break, exactly? I know the animals are protected, I know he wasn't allowed to be around them, but what law did he break? A wildlife harrassment law or something? Let me know if you guys find out...

M_surinamensis

06-15-04, 09:53 AM

The original post specifically stated that he broke wildlife harassment laws. The ecosystem of that area is a fairly fragile balance and laws have been put into place detailing how close humans can get to which animals under what circumstances. Irwin approached it with his usual asshattery and is thankfully going to be paying the price.

The man has been a black eye to the entire herpetological community for years now, his antics and idiocy affect the way the public views anyone within any of the related fields, he spreads misinformation and lies about the animals, his handling practices are dangerously unsafe... or would be if the specimins hadn't been sitting in a cooler ontop of a bag of ice for half an hour before filming. People on this board are always so quick to blame petstores for all the evil in the hobby (A particularly incorrect and short sighted viewpoint I might add) but if you really want to identify the source of nitwits buying and neglecting animals they know nothing about, Irwin is your man. He is NOT educated or experienced despite the sensationalistic statements which always remain vague burried within his show, he is NOT particularly well respected by those who would be in his "peer" group and he should NOT be touted as a hero for the industry. He is a clown, a jester, a FOOL who's actions are and always have been nothing more or less than damaging to the hobby, science and industry.

The man violated laws... again. Hopefully this time his celebrity status doesn't allow him to escape the penalties he so truly deserves.

sketchy4

06-15-04, 11:03 AM

Originally posted by Soul_Reaper
Ok call me stupid but, what exactly is so evil about sliding down slopes with penguins or swimming around with some curious whales?

I mean, if i could i would do it too...
exactly

blazinreps

06-15-04, 11:28 AM

I dont think he should be charged. its kind of riciculous i honestly dont see what harm he did. its not like he jumped on the whale and rode it of tryed to wrestle the seal. i dont see any harm done. and to anouther post yes irwin is kind of a joker he has a sense of humor and i dont see anythin wrong with it he does know alot about animals and does teach people alot. I dont see y so many ppl are against him hes not the only person that does what he does yet he always gets focused on and blamed.

Gary D.

06-15-04, 12:08 PM

As much as I enjoy his edutainment, he should definately be fined big time. Just because he's a celebrity and allegedly educates while he entertains, doesn't mean that he can be disrespectful of the laws in place to protect the animals he supposedly loves so much. By breaking those laws it tarnishes his image and more importantly the message he is supposedly trying to pass on. By his celeb status he gained permission to be there in the first place and he abused that. Period. What's the harm? Look at it this way, I do a lot of educational presentations for guides and scouts. Just because I do good things with my reptiles doesn't mean that I should be allowed to go out and collect indiginous species like Hertrodon and not be accountable. After all they're not indangered. What's the harm. If you truly respect the animal, you respect and support the laws created to protect it.

meow_mix450

06-15-04, 02:18 PM

lets just say that hes not a celeb, and imo hes not, to me he's a normal guy doing what he loves, he was born and raised with crocs and reptiles, his father did dangerous acts, i personally dont see whats wrong with that. But hes not a celeb to me.

Lets just say a guy was going to Antartica to study peguins and seals, but 2 whales suddenly approched, should this guy be charged? No cause he didnt do anything, the whales came up to him. They should give him a warning.

Can anyone find this video?

Meow

marisa

06-15-04, 02:30 PM

The Leopard seals, penguins and whales all came up to him then invited him to touch them? HAHAHA Yeah o.k.

This guy deserves exactly what you and I would get. Punishment. Period. He BROKE a LAW. What does that mean? It means face up to the consequences. I can't even believe some of you have no concept of the Antartic and the reasons these laws are in place. Its crazy.

Marisa

marisa

06-15-04, 02:38 PM

Interesting link about your beloved Steve Irwin....

http://www.caller2.com/2001/june/29/today/fea-ente/3986.html

Looks like people in his native land are even tired of his crap. This was only one article as well. There were many many others. He needs to be responsible for what he did.

This is another good article.
http://outside.away.com/magazine/1197/9711out.html

Marisa

meow_mix450

06-15-04, 02:42 PM

Come to think of it everyone has broken the law, Everyday we use our cars and the amount of green house gas's we give off. We didnt really break the law but contruibed. Every year our polar ice cap is melting away. Indeed it is very fragile. What about people who take there ships there and take a chuck out of an ice burg for fresh clean water......

Did you think Steve Irwin went there without permission, that would have been pretty stupid. I do not know if he did or did not, but i assume he did. So was Steve there to hunt the whales down so he could have a swim with him? Come on.......No one here is really right or wrong, everyones got there own opinion. It would help a lot if they released a video.

Meow

anacondaman

06-15-04, 04:03 PM

the man is just tryin to inform us about the beautiful creatures of antarctica. plain and simple and by no meens does he mean any harm. but youve gotta look at it like this. our enviornments are being destroyed everyday. as stupid as it sounds all laws need to be followed to show the seriousness of earth safety. steve is just being used as an example of how serious enviornmental laws need to be taken in order to preserve or planet.

my 2 cents

adam

meow_mix450

06-15-04, 04:06 PM

o.k i can understand that, i bet thats wut a lot of people re trying to say, i agree

Meow

anacondaman

06-15-04, 04:37 PM

not to mention that due to antarcitca being such a cold climate there are very few species. this makes the ecosystems there alot more sensitive to human interaction. but on the other hand it is because we choose to seperate ourselves from nature that these problems arise. we took humans from nature and put them under economy. therefore we look at nature seperatly and act like the damage we do to it wont effect us. well we r all wrong. steve was just enjoying the nature the way it should be enjoyed. he was playing with animals and not harming them at all. but too much damage has been done to enviornments and the laws set have to be followed no matter what. what im tryin to get at is... i dont think steve was doing anything really wrong, but i do believe he should be punished

lol

i know its confusing, im still tryin to wrap my head around it

my 2 cents

adam

meow_mix450

06-15-04, 05:33 PM

ur taking both sides, he should be punished but he wasnt there to do any harm, ya i can understand

Meow

anacondaman

06-15-04, 05:43 PM

im talkin so much **** my breath stanks... but i stick by wut i said

meow_mix450

06-15-04, 05:51 PM

i was doing some reserach about this investigation and what i have found out is that most of these sites are from the australian...This shows people there dont like him

Meow

M_surinamensis

06-15-04, 08:27 PM

Marisa... GREAT links.

hhw

06-15-04, 10:26 PM

Well, I think he should get off on a warning, but write a big fat check to some Antarctic wildlife fund.

My impression of him now after reading those articles is that he's an exaggerater, but not enough so to call him a fake. What guy doesn't exaggerate about his adventures anyway? He makes his living off of exaggerations so it's only natural that he does it more than your average guy. All in all, I think he does more good than harm for wildlife conservation so he has my support. Nobody's perfect, and put in the same spot, how many of us wouldn't get a swelled head?