Robert Irwin may make handling dangerous animals look easy, but the young wildlife star says one terrifying crocodile encounter nearly cost him his life.
The 22-year-old Animal Planet cohost recently recalled the moment a massive 14-foot crocodile pinned him underneath its body during a wildlife research expedition.
Irwin, the son of late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, has spent his life around wild animals. But even he knows that one wrong move can turn deadly.
His father died in 2006 at age 44 after a stingray barb pierced his chest while filming in Australia. Robert was just 2 years old at the time.
Now, Robert and his family have continued Steve’s conservation mission through Australia Zoo and their work with animals around the world.
But Robert said one encounter with a huge crocodile he had known for years left him trapped and unsure if he would make it out.
“We research crocodiles in the wild to better conserve them,” Robert explained. “So the way you do that — my dad came up with this — is you actually have to jump on them.”
The crocodile involved was one Robert had nicknamed Jimmy Fallon years earlier, back when the animal was much smaller.
But by the time of the dangerous encounter, Jimmy Fallon was no baby.
“I named this crocodile Jimmy Fallon years ago, and he’s now what we call a boss croc. He’s huge,” Robert said.
Then things went horribly wrong.
“I jumped on him. I kid you not, 14 foot of crocodile, big croc, death-rolls me,” Robert recalled.
The move left Robert pinned under the massive reptile.
“So I’m stuck underneath him with my arm hanging out. I’ve got like probably, I don’t know, maybe 700 pounds on top of me,” he said. “And I’m just like, ‘What do I do?’”
Thankfully, the crocodile rolled back the other way, allowing Robert to escape without serious injury.
“And luckily he rolled back the other way, and I was fine,” he said.
Robert and his older sister, Bindi Irwin, 27, have both become familiar faces to American audiences while carrying on their father’s wildlife legacy. Bindi won Dancing With the Stars in 2015, while Robert followed in her footsteps and won the competition last year.
The family’s fame has helped bring even more attention to their conservation work at Australia Zoo, where Robert, Bindi and their mother Terri continue to advocate for wildlife.
Robert said his mission is about more than television or celebrity. He wants to honor the legacy his parents built while inspiring a new generation.
“I want to be a role model for young people,” Robert said.
“When I step into the ballroom, I’m representing a legacy that my dad created with my mom,” he added. “I’m representing everything I stand for, not only as a wildlife conservationist, but also as someone who is working really hard to try and spread some positivity and passion.”
Real Deal Team