'Swim with stingrays' still on
05/09/2006 12:46  - (SA)  

Irwin was discussing SA deal Irwin was discussing SA deal Footage shows Irwin's death Footage shows Irwin's death

Wellington - A New Zealand marine attraction said on Tuesday it would continue with its "swim with stingrays" programme despite the death of legendary Australian "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin.

Irwin died on Monday when a stingray's barb pierced his heart as he filmed an underwater documentary off the coast of north Queensland.

Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World in Auckland allows members of the public to wade in a chest-high tank with six short-tailed stingrays.

Underwater World manager Andrew Baker said staff were shocked by the news of Irwin's death but believed the adventurer and environmentalist would not have wanted the grisly accident to turn people away from the marine life.

"We want people to get involved with the ocean and not fear the creatures and understand them and that's what these programmes are about," Baker said.

"And Steve would not have wanted this to demonise stingrays."

Baker said that since Irwin's death no one had cancelled bookings to step into a tank and feed the stingrays.

By nature the stingray is a passive fish and only whips its tail when threatened or startled.

"They're gentle, but they do have highly developed defence mechanisms," Baker said.

"If you're in close quarters with them and they react and get startled there's a chance they will swing their tails with the barbs on them."

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