Up to 11 stingrays have been found dead and mutilated on Australia’s eastern coast since the Crocodile Hunter’s death, prompting fears that Irwin’s fans are exacting their revenge on the normally docile fish.
Officials from the department of primary industries and fisheries say two of the dead stingrays were not the victims of revenge attacks, but they have been unable to determine the cause of death of at least another nine.
The fact that the tails and barbs of several of the animals were lopped off has environmentalists worried.
Michael Hornby, the executive director of Irwin’s conservation group, Wildlife Warriors, said he feared the rays were being hunted and killed in retaliation for the TV star’s death.
Mal Gulbrandson, 59, from Queensland, told the Sydney Morning Herald he had seen nine stingrays lying on Dundowran beach last Friday with their tails cut off.
Mr Gulbrandson said he believed someone had removed the tails and barbs from the fish to sell as mementos after Irwin’s death. “They are taking advantage of Steve and using the spurs as jewellery,” he said. “Steve, as we all know, was all for preserving the future.”
What sort of ignorant git does crap like this?
