Content creator and nature conservationist Graham “Dingo” Dinkelman died on Saturday from a venomous snake bite, his wife Kirsty said. He was 44.
Dinkelman was allergic to snake venom and the bite he experienced sent him straight into anaphylactic shock, she said in an Instagram post on Sept. 30.
Known as “South Africa’s Steve Irwin,” Dinkelman spent a month in the ICU in an induced coma before he passed, Kirsty said in a statement posted to Dinkelman’s Instagram on Thursday.
“While Dingo was renowned for his involvement with snakes and other reptiles, his compassion extended to all creatures,” Kirsty said. “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.”
Along with his wife, he leaves behind three children: 14-year-old Taylor, 12-year-old Maddy and 9-year-old Rex.
“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.
As of Friday, Dinkelman’s YouTube channel had 111,000 subscribers and his Instagram account had nearly 650,000 followers. His videos often consisted of him handling venomous snakes, showing off crocodiles and taking care of the family’s giraffe. Dinkelman’s videos also showcased his contributions to conservation, such as dehorning rhinos, collaring elephants, relocating lions and working with some of the planet’s most threatened species.
He once said, “My passion, my calling, the reason I have been put on the face of this Earth, is to help people to connect with animals. I’ve always believed that we need to convert the unconverted — to reach people who’ve had absolutely no experience with nature and wildlife, who are scared of snakes and afraid of getting dirty, and to get them passionate about conservation.”
In August, his family launched their own YouTube channel called “The Dinkelmans,” which centers around family content, animal adventures and conservation efforts.
Dinkelman was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and owned Dingo’s Farm and Reptile Park in the South African KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, according to his website. He was an award winning Discovery Channel and Youtube Wildlife presenter, it said.
He was commonly compared to Steve Irwin, the legendary Crocodile Hunter, who was killed by a stingray in 2006.
Both men died at age 44.
