The 'Crocodile Hunter', Steve Irwin, (right) and his wife, Terri, pose with Harriet, a giant Galapagos land tortoise, at Australia Zoo, about 70 km (44 miles) north of Brisbane in this undated handout photo. Harriet, who died on Friday at the age of 176 years was said to be the oldest animal in captivity according to the 'Guinness book of Records'. - Reuters photos

CAIRNS, Australia (AP):

Steve Irwin died doing what he loved best, getting too close to one of the dangerous animals he dedicated his life to protecting in an irrepressible style that shot him to global fame as television's Crocodile Hunter.

Irwin's heart was pierced by the serrated, poisonous spine of a stingray as he swam with the fish yesterday while shooting a new television show on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, his manager and producer John Stainton said. He was 44.

Irwin was in the water at Batt Reef, off the resort town of Port Douglas about 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Cairns, shooting a series called Ocean's Deadliest when he swam too close a stingray, Stainton told reporters.

"He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat, Croc One, at the time.

Crew members administered CPR and rushed to rendezvous with a rescue helicopter that flew to nearby Low Isle, but Irwin was pronounced dead when the paramedics arrived, Stainton said.

Irwin is survived by his wife, Terri, daughter, Bindi Sue, eight, and son Bob, who will turn three in December.