September 5, 2006"Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin
was killed yesterday after being pierced in the chest by a stingray's venomous
barb off an Australian reef (read the full news report).
Stingrays are normally
docile, and the toxins they deliver can be painful but are usually not lethal to humans. According to
news reports, the type of stingray that caused Irwin's death had a
roughly 8-inch-long (20-centimeter-long) spine that pierced the conservationist's heart.
Learn more about the elusive
stingray, and take a dive in "Stingray City," a region off the island of
Grand Cayman (Cayman
Islands map) that is one of the only places on Earth where the
potentially dangerous fish are used to swimming with people.
Who do you want to see receive funding to put their Earth-saving idea into action? Check out the ten Green Effect finalists, and from July 7-20 you can vote—up to once a day—for your favorite idea!