SYDNEY -- His death was bizarre -- stabbed through his wet suit by a stingray. Yet the continuing work of Australia's most famous wildlife activist is winning worldwide acclaim in the cause of conservation.
TV changed the guy in khaki shorts, shirt and heavy boots from someone who just tried to save animals in the wild into a megastar. Where other conservationists failed, he clicked. So much public support poured in to the modest Irwin family home that they kept buying tracts of land around the world to build wildlife rescue parks. The next one was to have been -- and may still be -- in San Diego.
While Australian Prime Minister John Howard gave a moving speech at Irwin's funeral, the star of a packed farewell was Steve's pint-size, 8-year-old daughter, Bindi.