Wildlife artist honours Irwin in wall muralFrom correspondents in Miami

MARINE life artist Wyland, who has painted 94 huge murals around the world to promote ocean conservation, has included Australian wildlife warrior Steve Irwin in his latest piece.

The 700sqm mural wraps around a four-storey building in the middle of a major highway in Key Largo. In the middle of the mural, an image of Irwin with a stingray swimming below him can be seen.

The stingray is paying "homage" to Irwin, who died in September 2006 after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while snorkeling in the Great Barrier reef.

The artist has said the wall painting in the Florida Keys will be his final US work.

"It's the gateway to the Florida Keys," Wyland said.

"The idea is to welcome people with a depiction of the sun, taking them above and below the surface (of the ocean) to see the tremendous abundance of marine life and colour."

Wyland's massive murals are designed to motivate environmental awareness and stewardship, particularly in children.