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SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Tributes from around the world are flowing in for Steve Irwin, the enthusiastic Australian "Crocodile Hunter" who enthralled audiences around the world with his wildlife adventures.

Irwin died Monday morning after being attacked by a stingray while shooting a TV program off Australia's north coast.

Irwin's manager and friend John Stainton said Irwin died doing what he loved -- filming life in the wild.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who knew Irwin and his family well, praised him as a "passionate environmentalist" who promoted a serious conservation message.
"He made an extraordinary contribution to creating a widespread appreciation of the value and uniqueness of Australian wildlife," Howard said.

Irwin was snorkeling at Batt Reef, a part of the Great Barrier Reef offshore from the town of Port Douglas, when the incident happened.

"He came over the top of a stingray that was buried in the sand, and the barb came up and hit him in the chest," Stainton said.

U.S.-based television company Discovery Communications said it planned a marathon showing of Irwin's programs on its Animal Planet network to honor him.

Irwin was in the area to film pieces for a show called "The Ocean's Deadliest" with Philippe Cousteau, grandson of Jacques, according to Stainton.

But weather had prevented the crew from doing work for that program, Stainton said, so Irwin decided to do some softer features for a new children's TV show he was doing with his daughter, Bindi.

Wildlife documentary maker Ben Cropp, citing a colleague who saw footage of the attack, told Time.com that Irwin had accidentally boxed the stingray in. "It stopped and twisted and threw up its tail with the spike, and it caught him in the chest," said Cropp. "It's a defensive thing. It's like being stabbed with a dirty dagger."

Irwin was pulled from the water by a cameraman and boat crewman. He died as he was being rushed to a nearby island for emergency treatment. Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

Queensland Police Services confirmed Irwin's death and said his family had been notified.

Irwin was director of the Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. He is survived by his American-born wife, Terri, and their two children, Bindi Sue, born in 1998, and Robert (Bob), born in December 2003.

The world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet," Stainton told reporters in Cairns, according to The Associated Press. "He died doing what he loved best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind."

It's all over the news, very sad indeed. Though I look it at this way, this guy did this type of stuff for a living, at least he died doing something he loves. I can't think of a better way to die personally. I'm just hoping his wife and family and stuff don't close what he has done to help those other animals. But I don't think they will because it was his life work and I think we'll be seeing them even perhaps getting more active in it.

It was bound to happen! I mean look at all the crazy stuff he's done. Its a miricle he lived as long as he did with all the aligators and crocs and the time he was filming all those comodo dragons and all the other brave but crazy stuff he's done.
I was shocked to hear it wasn't a croc!
I don't they'll do anything to stop his lifes work or close his zoo or whatever. His wife seemed into the whole wild life thing too and if he was filming a kids show with his little girl then she's got an interest in the animals too. If anything I can picture his son or daughter having thier own show sometime in the future doing the same crazy stuff as thier dad.

The brave crazy things he did was why I sort of admired him. I mean. Other shows would use tools or hooks to pick up a snake. Right? He actually picked snakes up with his own hands from time to time. =o

I think Jeff Corwin's startin to do that. A little bit.

I don't know if I could watch him dying... mainly because it would ruin the whole feeling I think when I think of him. You know the guy who can do anything and not get hurt >.>