A shocking new autopsy on the body of TV's "Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin, will reveal the beloved wildlife daredevil was stoned on a powerful hallucinogenic drug when he was fatally stabbed by the foot-long barb of a massive stingray — and didn't have to die!

That's the explosive claim by a source close to the Animal Planet hero, who claims that the truth about the star's Sept. 4, 2006, death at age 44 while filming a documentary was covered up a decade ago.