Crikey, we lost a good one Monday.  Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin died Monday while filming a new underwater wildlife project he was making with his 8-year-old daughter Bindi.

Irwin, who was snorkeling off the coast of Queensland, was fatally wounded by a stingray’s poisonous barb.  The last footage of the wildlife enthusiast’s life was pulling the poisonous barb from his chest just moments before losing consciousness forever.

Irwin’s manager and producer John Stainton described the footage, which he had seen, as “shocking.”

“It shows that Steve came over the top of the ray and the tail came up, and spiked him here (in the chest), and he pulled it out and the next minute he’s gone,” Stainton reported.

“That was it. The cameraman had to shut down,” Stainton said.

Queensland Police Superintendent Michael Keating stated there was no evidence that Irwin threatened or intimidated the stingray, who is normally a placid species that only produces its poisonous tail spines as a defense.

Keating went on to state to the media, “There are no suspicious circumstances in relation to the death.”

Experts are now speculating that the last animal Irwin knew probably felt trapped between the cameraman & the Crocodile Hunter.

Manager Stainton said Steve was at home in the bushland, but that he & Irwin had talked about the sea posing threats Irwin was unaccustomed to.

“If ever he was going to go, we always said it was going to be the ocean,” Stainton said.

“On land he was agile, quick-thinking, quick-moving and the ocean puts another element there that you have no control over.”

Queensland state Premier Peter Beattie is offering Irwin’s family a state funeral for Steve, who described him as the best known Australian in the world.

Irwin is survived by his American wife Terri, his 8-year-old daughter Bindi Sue & his 3-year-old son Bob.

Russel Crowe, who had recently appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, with Steve Irwin stated, ”He was and remains the ultimate wildlife warrior.  He touched my heart, I believed in him, I’ll miss him. I loved him and I’ll be there for his family.”

You gotta love a world with someone the likes of Steve Irwin in it, I will miss his antics & be a little sad that he couldn’t grow old & tell tall tales to his grandchildren. 

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