Goodbye Steve

I'm sad today, having heard of the death of Steve Irwin, the "Crocodile Hunter." Here was a guy who gave a damn about wildlife and did a good job of instilling that enthusiasm in others. I know some of it rubbed off on me; it's part of what inspires me to run around the forests, swamps, and beaches looking for living things.

Jen and I visted the Australia Zoo when we went Down Under in 1998. The Crocodile Hunter was out of town at the time, probably looking for new creatures. I think that's how I'll remember him, just off somewhere in the bush, doing what he loves.

Update 2006-09-05: Bob Hunkins wrote about this too. Also Shifting Baselines.