World
Graham ‘Dingo’ Dinkelman, known as ‘South Africa’s Steve Irwin’, dies from snake bite
“One of Dingo’s greatest joys was being able to have his family work so closely with him,” wife Kirsty wrote in a social media statement.
Conservation content creator Graham “Dingo” Dinkelman died on Saturday following a venomous snake bite he sustained in September.
Dubbed “South Africa’s Steve Irwin,” Dinkelman, spent a month in an induced coma caused by an anaphylactic shock from a venomous snake bite.
In his videos on YouTube, Dinkelman could often be seen handling venous snakes, taunting crocodiles, and feeding the family’s giraffe.
In a statement shared to Dinkelman’s Instagram on Thursday, his wife Kirsty shared the news.
“While Dingo was renowned for his involvement with snakes and other reptiles, his compassion extended to all creatures,” Kirsty said in her statement. “There was a special place in his heart for African mammals, his favourites being elephants, rhinos and lions, as well as our own giraffe, Elliot. But it was truly his love for his family that was always behind his purpose, drive, and passion.”
According to The Telegraph, Dinkelman was bitten by an Eastern green mamba, known for its venomous bite.
Dinkelman leaves his wife and three children, Taylor, 14, Maddy, 12, and Rex, 9.
“One of Dingo’s greatest joys was being able to have his family work so closely with him. Our three children … were central to Dingo, who never missed an opportunity to express his love and pride for his family,” Kirsty said in her statement.
In August, the Dinkelman family launched its own YouTube channel called The Dinkelmans. With 39,400 subscribers, the channel provided an inside look into the family.
Who was ‘Dingo’ Dinkelman?
Born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, Dinkelman was the owner of Dingo’s Farm and Reptile Park in the South African KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, according to his website. He was an award-winning Discovery Channel presenter and YouTube creator.
As of Thursday, his YouTube channel, Dingo Dinkelman, boasted more than, 111,000 subscribers and his Instagram had more than 646,000 followers.
Dinkelman was frequently compared to Australian zookeeper and conservationist Steve Irwin, who was killed in 2006 by a stingray in the Great Barrier Reef.
This story has been updated to correct a grammatical error.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@gannett.com.
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