---

Bindi Irwin To Continue Father's Extraordinary Wildlife Efforts

September 15, 2006 6:59 a.m. EST

Maira Oliveira - All Headline News Reporter

Queensland, Australia (BANG) - Steve Irwin's legacy will live on through his daughter. "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin's eight-year-old daughter vowed on Thursday night to copy her father and swim with stingrays.

Brave Bindi even said she will film the same giant fish who killed her father when she presents her own wildlife TV show "Jungle Girl" scheduled to air in January.

Steve, 44, died tragically last week when a stingray's poisoned barb pierced his heart while he was filming a documentary at Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

It was thought Bindi's show would be axed following his death but she wants to carry on her father's conservation and TV work.

Steve's manager John Stainton revealed the naturalist only decided to film the stingray that killed him on the spur of the moment, so his daughter could see it. He had been shooting scenes for his own new show "Ocean's Deadliest" but suddenly decided to look for stingrays, which are known as the "pussycats of the sea."

John said, "It should have been an innocent encounter for a TV show aimed at children. Bindi's new series is going to premiere next January throughout the world. Steve was an integral part of that program. We will do him proud and continue that effort."

Meanwhile, Steve's mother-in-law, Julie Raines, has revealed that Bindi, her two-year-old brother Robert, referred to by the wildlife expert as Bob, and his widow Terri have been left devastated by his untimely death.

Julie said, "Robert says, 'Where's daddy?' But Bindi's been a rock. It's just a very hard time."

---