what type of stingray killed steve irwin

The stingray that killed Steve Irwin was most commonly described as a short- tail stingray, though some sources also suggest it might have been an Australian bull ray. The stingray's barb pierced his chest, penetrating his thoracic wall and heart, which caused massive trauma and led to his death. The short-tail stingray is one of the largest stingrays and can grow very large, inhabiting areas such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. This type of stingray is generally not aggressive, and fatal encounters like Irwin's are extremely rare and usually occur when the stingray feels threatened or cornered.