Animal rights organisation PETA has come under fire after they criticised the late Steve Irwin for his wildlife conservation efforts.
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PETA’s criticisms had been in response to a Google Doodle tribute to Irwin on what would have been his 57th birthday. The search engine unveiled a series of illustrations on Friday to celebrate the beloved man’s life. The Doodle was warmly received by the majority and Irwin’s son, Robert, took to Twitter to thank Google for the special tribute.
Thank you so much, @Google for honouring dad with his own #GoogleDoodle all over the world. A perfect way to celebrate his birthday, sharing everything he did to make the world a better place. pic.twitter.com/MrKdzTqZke
— Robert Irwin (@RobertIrwin) February 21, 2019
But a day later, in a series of tweets, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) called out Google for promoting a man who “was killed while harassing a ray.”
“He dangled his baby while feeding a crocodile & wrestled wild animals who were minding their own business. Today’s #GoogleDoodle sends a dangerous, fawning message. Wild animals are entitled to be left alone in their natural habitats.”
They continued: “Steve Irwin’s actions were not on target with his supposed message of protecting wildlife. A real wildlife expert and someone who respects animals for the individuals they are leaves them to their own business in their natural homes.
“It is harassment to drag exotic animals, including babies taken from their mothers, around from TV talk shows to conferences and force them to perform as Steve Irwin did. Animals deserve to live as they want to, not as humans demand – the #GoogleDoodle should represent that.”
#SteveIrwin was killed while harassing a ray; he dangled his baby while feeding a crocodile & wrestled wild animals who were minding their own business. Today’s #GoogleDoodle sends a dangerous, fawning message. Wild animals are entitled to be left alone in their natural habitats. https://t.co/9JfJiBhGLw
— PETA (@peta) February 22, 2019
As you can imagine, many were not amused by PETA’s claim Irwin was not a “real wildlife expert.”
The top response on PETA’s thread – written by The Amity Affliction‘s Joel Birch – reads, “Stupid, stupid fucking post. What the fuck is wrong with you. Steve Irwin practised what he preached, which was conservation. His work continues on today despite his tragic death. This kind of shit is part of the reason veganism is constantly attacked as an extreme position.”
Another wrote, “I learned more about respecting nature and wildlife from #SteveIrwin than I’ve ever learned from @peta #facts” while others urged PETA to apologise.
“There have been few people who have done more for wildlife conservation and education than the Irwin family. You owe them an apology.”
Steve Irwin and his family reclaim land for animals and run a massive wildlife rescue. His life mission was to save animals and educate people about them. I’m one of many vegetarians who rip out their hair when @peta weighs in. Shame on you. https://t.co/m4fdNymjao
— Maureen Johnson (@maureenjohnson) February 23, 2019
Steve Irwin saved the lives of countless animals in his sanctuaries. He helped educate millions globally about animals’ needs and ways of life. He loved animals and cared for them greatly. You do some good work helping animals PETA, but how about some balance and more respect… https://t.co/olpLCvKepN
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) February 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/RealPaigeWWE/status/1099114062661726214
This is breathtaking … PETA are just going to glaze over Steve Irwin and his family’s conservation and education efforts, which are carried on by his family, in order to get their sick point across. Speechless https://t.co/SgzP6xMhAJ
— Evin Priest (@EvinPriest) February 23, 2019
Steve Irwin was one of the most recognized wildlife conservation enthusiasts in the world. Both of his parents were wildlife rehabilitators and creating awareness about preservation was the main goal of his show.
Thank u, next ✌🏽 https://t.co/Rpzr4wtaJv
— UberFacts (@UberFacts) February 23, 2019
