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Robert Irwin (conservationist)

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Not to be confused with his grandfather Bob Irwin.

Robert Irwin
Irwin in 2022
Born
Robert Clarence Irwin

(2003-12-01) 1 December 2003 (age 21)
Buderim, Queensland, Australia
Citizenship
  • Australia
  • United States
Occupations
Years active2004–present
Parents
Relatives
Websiterobertirwinphotos.com

Robert Clarence Irwin (born 1 December 2003)[1] is an Australian conservationist, television personality, zookeeper, wildlife photographer and actor. He is the son of Steve Irwin, and is often noted by fans to share similarities with his late father.[2] Irwin hosts Robert's Real Life Adventures, a program on his family zoo's internal television network. He co-hosted the Discovery Kids Channel television series Wild But True and co-created the book series Robert Irwin: Dinosaur Hunter. He starred on the Animal Planet series Crikey! It's the Irwins with his mother, Terri, and sister, Bindi, from 2018–2022.

Irwin works at the Australia Zoo, where he is involved in activities that his late father originally did, such as wrestling crocodiles, handling snakes and feeding the zoo's animals.

In September 2024, Irwin and Nomzamo Mbatha became the first two Earthshot Prize Global Ambassadors.[3]

Early life

[edit]

Robert Clarence Irwin was born on 1 December 2003 in Buderim, Queensland, the younger of two children and the only son of Steve and Terri Irwin. His first and middle names are named in honour of both of his paternal and maternal grandfathers, Bob Irwin and Clarence Raines.[4] His father died from a stingray injury to the heart while filming an underwater documentary when Robert was two years old. Robert and his sister, Bindi Irwin, were home-schooled at Australia Zoo following their father's death.[5] He is a dual citizen of Australia (through his birth) and the United States (through his mother). His ancestry is English, with Irish and Swedish on his father's side.[6]

During a public show one month after Robert was born, his father carried him in his arm while hand-feeding a chicken carcass to a 3.8-metre (12 ft 6 in) saltwater crocodile. Robert was close to the crocodile, and the incident sparked comparisons in the press to Michael Jackson dangling of his eldest son, Prince Michael Jackson II, outside a German hotel window.[7] The incident prompted the Queensland Government to change its crocodile-handling laws, banning children and untrained adults from entering crocodile enclosures.[8] However, special dispensation is granted to a child who has met a very strict set of guidelines and training requirements. Per The Sydney Morning Herald, "The only time a child will be able to enter an enclosure is under a strict, long-term training program which ensures safety controls."[8] In 2012, at age 8 years and nine months, and after extensive training and under expert supervision, Irwin was allowed to feed freshwater crocodiles for the first time,[9] whose males max out at about 3 metres (9.8 ft).[10]

Career

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Irwin in 2011

In 2009, Irwin had a cameo appearance in Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove.[11] In 2012, Irwin appeared alongside his mother and sister in a television series entitled Steve Irwin's Wildlife Warriors, which earned him a 2013 Logie Award nomination for Most Popular New Male Talent.[12] In 2014 and 2015, Irwin co-hosted a television series named Wild But True on Discovery Kids Channel.[11] The show was later nominated for an International Emmy Kids Award in the factual category in 2016.[13]

In 2013, Irwin released a series of books, titled Dinosaur Hunter, which he co-authored with Lachlan Creag and Jack Wells.[14]

In 2015, he appeared as a guest on the British wildlife series Ten Deadliest Snakes in the episode focused on Australia's venomous snakes. He guided presenter Nigel Marven in the billabong of Australia Zoo to look for a red-bellied black snake.

Irwin was runner-up in the junior category of the 2016 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition.[15][16] Irwin is also a photography contributor to the Australia Zoo Crikey magazine.[17] He uses his love for photography to help raise awareness about wildlife conservation. He has also raised tens of thousands of dollars for the Irwins' non-profit organization Crocodile Diaries by auctioning canvas prints of his work at events worldwide. He has also met with world leaders such as His Majesty King Charles III to discuss the protection of natural habitat.[17]

On 16 February 2017, Irwin made his late-night television debut when he appeared on NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He presented an African dwarf crocodile, a screaming armadillo, a red-tailed boa, and a sloth to the host, Jimmy Fallon.[18][19][20] Irwin subsequently went back to appear on The Tonight Show on multiple occasions, showcasing a different selection of animals each time. As of April 2019, Irwin has appeared on the show eleven times.

Irwin is also an avid photographer and is also the leading photography contributor to the Australia Zoo Crikey magazine. He has also embarked upon many photography expeditions around the globe, from the savannah of Africa to the mountains of New Zealand, the wilderness of Europe and everywhere in between.[17]

On 6 April 2017, Irwin was invested as a member and ambassador of Scouts Australia, formalising a partnership between the organisation and Australia Zoo. The partnership aims to encourage Australia's young people to become involved with wilderness and conservation.[21][22] He has also given various interviews to magazines for teenagers as a current reference such as Vanity.[23]

On Australia Zoo TV, Irwin appears on his own channel.[24]

In 2020, he guest starred in the Bluey episode The Quiet Game,[25] voicing a dingo retail clerk named Alfie.

In February 2022, during filming for an episode of Crikey! It's the Irwins, Irwin had to make an emergency escape from a crocodile enclosure after an overzealous 3.7-metre-long (12 ft), 350-kilogram (770 lb) saltwater crocodile, named Casper, ignored the food Irwin was offering him and instead made a beeline for Irwin himself. Irwin managed to scale the enclosure walls just in time and avoided injury.[26][27][28]

In October 2023, it was announced that Irwin would replace Dr Chris Brown as the co-host of Network 10's reality television show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! alongside returning host Julia Morris, for the show's tenth season set to premiere in 2024.[29][30]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2010 Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove The Pirate Boy Cameo
2015 The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water Kyle the Seagull Voice; Australian version

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2007 Bindi the Jungle Girl Himself 1 episode
2011 Kate Plus 8 Episode: "Australia Zoo Visit"
2014 Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures Foreign Exchange Student from Australia Episodes: "Dino Pals" and "Dino Mommas"
2015 Ten Deadliest Snakes Himself Episode: "Australia"
2017–2019 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Guest; 13 episodes
2018–2022 Crikey! It's the Irwins Series regular
Also co-producer
2019–2022 The Kelly Clarkson Show Guest; 5 episodes
2020 Bluey Alfie Voice; episode: "The Quiet Game"
Earth to Ned Himself Episode "A Ned's Best Friend"
2021 Irwin Family Adventures Also co-producer
2022 RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Guest; season 2 episode 1
Kurt Fearnley's One Plus One Episode: Robert Irwin[31]
Have You Been Paying Attention? Himself Guest quizmaster, episode 25
2024 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Co-host Replacing Chris Brown and alongside Julia Morris
Appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Date Animals
16 February 2017[19] African dwarf crocodile, screaming armadillo, red-tailed boa, sloth
20 April 2017[24][32][33] Scorpion, two baby black bears, two legless lizards, binturong, green aracari toucan
7 June 2017[34] Baby North American badger, 100-year-old alligator snapping turtle and a baby one, baby red kangaroo (joey),[35] three baby warthogs
23 November 2017[36] Tamandua anteater, two leopard cubs, prehensile-tailed porcupine, albino Burmese python
25 January 2018[37] Beaver, tarantula, baby muntjac, hyacinth macaw
2 May 2018[38] Six African pygmy goats, kookaburra, capybara, American alligator
19 September 2018[39] Baby ostrich, two kingsnakes, tarantula, lanner falcon (with Kevin Hart)
22 November 2018[40] Two baby Asian small-clawed otters, two baby African crested porcupines, aardvark, baby zebra
23 January 2019[41] Sugar glider, peppered cockroaches, three baby servals, dromedary camel
25 February 2019[42] Asian water monitor, owl, American Shorthair
30 April 2019[43] Giant African millipede, miniature horse, mandrill

References

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  1. ^ "The Irwin Family". CrocodileHunter.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2001.
  2. ^ Hermanson, Wendy (5 January 2021). "Crikey, Mate! Robert Irwin Looks Exactly Like His 'Crocodile Hunter' Dad In Bindi's Candid Snap". OK!. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Five environmental champions join Earthshot Prize Council and new Ambassador Programme". The Earthshot Prize. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  4. ^ Steve Irwin hears the news about his 2nd child. frighttrain260. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2023 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ Chatfield, Katherine (26 January 2013). "It's reading, writing and reptiles for Bindi and Robert Irwin". PerthNow. News Corp Australia. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Record number of Irish immigrants to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Australia". Ancestryeurope.ie. Archived from the original on 28 June 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  7. ^ Barkham, Patrick (5 September 2006). "It's like a part of Australia has died". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 5 September 2006.
  8. ^ a b "Steve Irwin baby concerns prompt law change". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. AAP. 24 February 2005. Archived from the original on 25 February 2005. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
  9. ^ Robert Irwin Feeds Crocs for First Time. View News. 3 October 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2023 – via YouTube.
  10. ^ "Discover the Fascinating World of Freshwater Crocodiles". Billabong Sanctuary. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Robert Irwin". Australia Zoo. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  12. ^ Knox, David (10 March 2013). "Logie Awards 2013: nominations". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  13. ^ "2016 INTERNATIONAL EMMY® KIDS AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED" (Press release). Cannes: International Emmy Awards. 17 October 2016. Archived from the original on 23 October 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
  14. ^ "Introducing Robert Irwin – Dinosaur Hunter". Australia Zoo. 5 March 2013. Archived from the original on 26 April 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  15. ^ Teideman, Jess (19 August 2016). "Winners of the 2016 AG Nature Photographer of the Year competition". Australian Geographic. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  16. ^ Peddie, Clare (5 September 2016). "Robert Irwin, son of Steve Irwin, wins Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year junior award for crocodile photo". The Advertiser. Adelaide: News Corp Australia. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  17. ^ a b c "About Robert Irwin". Robert Irwin Photography. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  18. ^ Matheson, Anna & Staff writers (18 February 2017). "Robert Irwin looks every bit a chip off the old block as he makes his Tonight Show debut". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  19. ^ a b Fallon, Jimmy (17 February 2017). "Robert Irwin and Jimmy Cuddle a Sloth". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 25 April 2017 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ King, Brittany (20 April 2017). "'Proud Beyond Words' Bindi Irwin Gushes at 'Extraordinary' Brother Robert with Boyfriend Chandler Powell in Tow". People. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  21. ^ "Robert Irwin Invested by Scouts Queensland". Scouts Newsletter. Scouts Australia. May 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  22. ^ Devine, Robyn (26 July 2017). "Visionary Wildlife Warriors!". Scouts Queensland. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  23. ^ Lee, Tionah (15 October 2023). "Robert Irwin Emotional as He Completes Dad Steve's Wildlife Mission". Entertainment Tonight. Paramount Global. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Robert Irwin Guests on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon". NBC. NBCUniversal. 29 January 2015. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  25. ^ Brumm, Joe (18 May 2021). "The Quiet Game: Meet Alfie!". YouTube.
  26. ^ Watch Robert Irwin's CLOSE Call With a 12-Foot Croc. Entertainment Tonight. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  27. ^ Kearney, Georgina (8 February 2022). "Robert Irwin forced to flee crocodile enclosure at Australia Zoo after close call". Seven News. Seven West Media. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  28. ^ Langdon, Allison; Stefanovic, Karl (8 February 2022). "Robert Irwin's horror close encounter with aggressive crocodile". Today. Nine Network. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  29. ^ Scott, Madison (24 October 2023). "Robert Irwin named as new host of I'm a Celebrity....Get Me Out of Here!". Who. Are Media. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  30. ^ Balaam, Kellie (24 October 2023). "Robert Irwin to host I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here alongside Julia Morris in 2024". PerthNow. Seven West Media. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  31. ^ Fearnley, Kurt (29 September 2022). "Feeding Crocodiles: Robert Irwin on fame, photography & growing up in a zoo". One Plus One. ABC TV. Retrieved 20 October 2022 – via YouTube.
  32. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (20 April 2017). "Robert Irwin and Jimmy Play with Baby Black Bears". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC – via YouTube.
  33. ^ Chen, Joyce (21 April 2017). "Robert Irwin Channels Dad, Plays With Baby Black Bears on 'Tonight Show'". Us Weekly. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  34. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (7 June 2017). "Robert Irwin and Jimmy Feed a Baby Kangaroo". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 19 June 2017 – via YouTube.
  35. ^ Weule, Genelle (18 March 2013). "Wallabies do 'Australian crawl' in the womb". ABC Science. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  36. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (23 November 2017). "Jimmy Gets Attacked by Robert Irwin's Anteater". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 25 November 2018 – via YouTube.
  37. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (25 January 2018). "Robert Irwin and Jimmy Play with an Adorable Baby Deer". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 25 November 2018 – via YouTube.
  38. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (2 May 2018). "Robert Irwin and Jimmy Feed Baby Pygmy Goats". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 25 November 2018 – via YouTube.
  39. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (19 September 2018). "Kevin Hart Is Terrified of Robert Irwin's Animals". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 25 November 2018 – via YouTube.
  40. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (22 November 2018). "Robert Irwin's Baby Porcupine Finds a Home on Jimmy's Lap". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 25 November 2018 – via YouTube.
  41. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (23 January 2019). "Robert Irwin's Baby Camel Kisses Jimmy on the Lips". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 25 January 2019 – via YouTube.
  42. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (25 February 2019). "Jimmy Loses It with Robert Irwin on a Hot Mic Before Animals Segment". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 26 February 2019 – via YouTube.
  43. ^ Fallon, Jimmy (30 April 2019). "Robert Irwin and Jimmy Bottle Feed a Baby Miniature Horse". The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. NBC. Retrieved 1 May 2019 – via YouTube.
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