It might interest you, Roger (but probably won't, since you already know everything)to know that what you refer to as stressing animals, may well be true in the case of snakes, tho' they did calm down quite quickly as a rule, when he handled them.

But with specific reference to crocodiles, if you simply throw food into their ponds, you will have fat, unfit animals, which will not live too long. Steve Irwin explained this very clearly in one of his programs.

The so called shows he put on at feeding times were designed to make the crocodile work for his food in the same manner as he would in the wild. So, far from causing him stress in order to show off, he was in fact taking care of the animal's welfare, and if this made enjoyable viewing, what's wrong with that.

He earned the name "Crocodile Hunter" by going round Australia relocating crocs which were causing problems near human dwellings, which prevented their being shot, and protected the human population at the same time. Alligators in the US are not so lucky, since only those less than five feet long are relocated. The larger ones are euthanased.

Crocs can travel enormous distances overland in search of new water, and I suspect that you would be very glad to see someone like Steve if you lived by a lake and a croc decided to settle in fifty yards from where your pets and children played.

The crocs at Australia Zoo are, as I understand it, the very few that for good reasons could not be released into the wild.

You seem to have disliked both Steve Irwin and his TV series, which leads me to believe that you watched very little of his output, so could it be that you are arguing from a position of some ignorance, merely for the sake of argument?

I have often disagreed with your opinions, but this is the first time that I have been disgusted by the total lack of charity and humanity that you (along with several others on this thread) have displayed.

For Christ's sake man, he has only just died, and his family are probably too shocked to have even started grieving. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Don T.