Steve Irwin pulled a poisonous stingray（1） barb（2） from his chest in his dying moments， his manager said Tuesday， after watching videotape of the attack that killed the popular "Crocodile Hunter."

    Irwin's body was returned home to Beerwah， a hamlet（3） in southeastern Queensland where he lived with his wife and two young children. Irwin turned a modest reptile（4） park opened by his parents into Australia Zoo， a wildlife reserve that has become an international tourist attraction.

    Hundreds placed bouquets and handwritten notes at an ad hoc（5） shrine to the popular 44-year-old naturalist outside the park， and other tributes flowed in from Canberra to Hollywood.

    The dramatic details of Irwin's death Monday as he was shooting a program on the Great Barrier Reef were disclosed by John Stainton， his manager and close friend. He said he had viewed the videotape showing the TV star pulling the poisonous stingray barb from his chest.

    "It shows that Steve came over（6） the top of the ray and the tail came up， and spiked（7） him here （in the chest）， and he pulled it out， and the next minute（8） he's gone，" Stainton said.

    The tape was not released to the public. Queensland state police took possession of（9） a copy for a coroner's investigation.

    "There is no evidence Mr. Irwin was threatening or intimidating（10） the stingray，" State police Superintendent Michael Keating said， addressing speculation that a man who became famous by leaping on crocodiles and snatching up snakes must have been too close for the animal's comfort.

    Irwin's boundless energy and daredevil（11） antics（12） around deadly beasts made him a household name as the Discovery Channel's "The Crocodile Hunter，" with a reported audience of more than 200 million.

    Australia's leaders interrupted Parliament's normal business to eulogize（13） Irwin.

    "He was a genuine， one-off（14）， remarkable Australian individual and I am distressed at his death，" Prime Minister John Howard said.

    1. stingray：刺鳐，鞭形的尾部生有一个或多个有毒的背棘，能造成很严重的伤害

    2. barb：倒钩，芒刺

    3. hamlet：小村庄

    4. reptile：爬行类的

    5. ad hoc：并非真正的

    6. come over：抓住

    7. spike：穿刺

    8. the next minute：很快地

    9. take possession of：占有

    10. intimidate：胁迫

    11. daredevil：胆大妄为的人

    12. antic：滑稽的动作

    13. eulogize：称赞

    14. one-off：仅存在一次的

    周二，史蒂夫。艾尔文的经纪人看过刺鳐袭击“鳄鱼猎人”的录像后说：史蒂夫。艾尔文把一只有毒刺鳐芒刺从胸膛中拔出来后就死了。

    艾尔文的尸体被送回位于昆士兰州东南比瓦镇的家乡，他曾和妻子、两个小孩生活在那里。艾尔文把父母开的一家小型爬行动物园变成澳大利亚动物园，园中饲养了很多野生动物，成为世界旅游景点之一。

    上百名哀悼者在公园外为这位44岁的自然主义者献上花束和亲手写的字条。其他悼念品来自世界各地，从堪培拉到好莱坞。

    他的经纪人兼好友约翰。斯坦顿透露了周一惨剧的细节。他说当时艾尔文正在大堡礁录制节目。从录像中，他看见艾尔文从胸膛中拔出毒刺鳐的芒刺。

    斯坦顿说：“录像中，艾尔文抓住刺鳐的头部，这时刺鳐用芒刺叮了他的胸膛。他把刺拔出来之后立刻就死了。”

    录像带并未公开。昆士兰警署保留了一份备份以便验尸官调查。

    州警署负责人迈克尔。凯廷说：“没有迹象表明艾尔文惊吓或者胁迫刺鳐”。他认为这个和鳄鱼嬉闹、与众蛇为伍的人距离刺鳐太近了，以至于它感觉不安。

    艾尔文凭借无穷的精力和与凶猛野兽的亲密接触成为探索频道家喻户晓的 “鳄鱼猎人”。据报道，节目观众数量已超过2亿。

    澳大利亚领导人也暂停国会的正常事宜来怀念艾尔文。

    总理约翰。霍华德说：“他是天才，独一无二的、卓越的澳大利亚公民。我对他的去世感到哀伤。”