In case you missed it, Google Doodle released a bunch of illustrations last week to celebrate Steve Irwin's birthday.
Crikey! Today's #GoogleDoodle in Australia, NZ and around the world celebrates Steve Irwin and his legacy. Follow Steve's journey as a zookeeper, conservationist and father β https://t.co/JfT7Kc5SIN @AustraliaZoo πβ€οΈ
The drawings honoured Steve's achievements and efforts towards wildlife conservation, including snippets from his famous nature documentary The Crocodile Hunter.
While the illustrations were a hit with fans of the legendary Aussie icon, PETA accused Google of sending a "dangerous, fawning message".
#SteveIrwin was killed while harassing a ray; he dangled his baby while feeding a crocodile & wrestled wild animals who were minding their own business. Todayβs #GoogleDoodle sends a dangerous, fawning message. Wild animals are entitled to be left alone in their natural habitats. https://t.co/9JfJiBhGLw
They also condemned Steve's handling of animals and his conservation efforts.
Steve Irwinβs actions were not on target with his supposed message of protecting wildlife. A real wildlife expert & 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 & force them to perform as Steve Irwin did. Animals deserve to live as they want to, not as humans demandββthe #GoogleDoodle should represent that.
To put it simply, people were pretty pissed off by PETA's response.
@peta I feel itβs safe to assume that I speak for all Aussieβs when I say this, PETA you fucked up real bad and talking shit about our beautiful Steve is like a personal and vicious attack on every single Aussie......you just started war with an entire country!
@peta π
@peta
@peta Steve ππΌ Irwin ππΌ has ππΌ done ππΌ more ππΌ for ππΌ the ππΌ environment ππΌ than ππΌ @peta ππΌ ever ππΌ will ππΌ
And many took the opportunity to praise and highlight Steve's many achievements towards wildlife conservation.
@peta So your response here is this Human deserved what he got and is better off dead?! You are a disgusting organizationand and should be absolutely ashamed!! He was a FATHER and a HUSBAND and did WAY more for wild life conservation than the IDIOT INTERN hired to write this tweet!
@peta I'm an Australian wildlife rescue volunteer. #SteveIrwin and his family gave an awful lot of quiet, unpublicised support to organisations like mine. He was a serious conservationist & did the hard & unglamourous work required. PETA are attention-seeking posers by comparison
@peta Steve educating on the inland taipan specifically making sure that you understand this isnβt to contribute to the vilification of snakes, but to contrast it with empathy, and passion. He dismantled the fear around a lot of our wildlife, while you use the holocaust in marketing.
PETA's official response to the Google Doodle can be read below.
"PETA must ask who commissioned these dangerous, hagiographic cartoons of a man who died while harassing a stingray, dangled his baby while feeding a crocodile, and "wrestled" wild animals who were minding their own business. This fawning, ignorant tribute is a slap in the face to the vast majority of people who acknowledge that wild animals are entitled to be left alone in their natural habitats." β Ingrid Newkirk, PETA President