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steve irwin

Pop Culture

Robert Irwin brought to tears after getting a birthday message from his late dad Steve

Robert recently turned 19 and carries on his father's legacy in every way.

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The video brought Robert to tears, along with everyone else.

If Steve Irwin were here today to see the remarkable people that his two children grew up to be, he would be so proud. Both Bindi and Robert Irwin carry on their dad's legacy of wildlife conservation, along with Steve’s wife, Terri. And Robert, in particular, has inherited his father’s vivacious, endearing personality that is nothing short of contagious.

Steve might not be around anymore, but that didn’t stop him from providing his son with a wonderful message on his birthday.

Robert, who was only 3 years old when his father tragically passed away in 2006, celebrated his 19th birthday on Dec 1. As he and mom Terri stood onstage at the Australia Zoo—where Robert follows in his father’s footsteps as a Wildlife Warrior—a video began to play showing folks from around the world wishing him a happy birthday. Clearly, the young bloke is just as well loved as his father was.

Then, the footage cuts to Steve Irwin (around 4:48 on the video below).

Robert had only just been born and as Steve holds his newborn son in his hands, he acknowledges that in spite of all his important conservation work, his children are his real purpose, adding, “because after all, I could be dead tomorrow.”

Obviously, that last part hits a little different now.

Steve hoped to instill in his children the same drive to continue his mission, declaring that “then and only then will I know that I have achieved my ultimate goal, and my job will be done. And I guarantee you that it’ll be the proudest moment of my life.”

As the video shows Robert becoming a young adult—one who catches crocs and saves animals just like his old man—it becomes crystal clear that Steve’s heartfelt wish came true.

Touched by the tribute, Robert quips, “You’re gonna make me cry on my birthday!” then shares that continuing his father’s “profound legacy” is a personal privilege.

Robert wasn’t the only one moved by Steve’s message. The video quickly amassed 28 million views on YouTube. And so many comments poured in from people deeply affected by The Crocodile Hunter’s memory.

One person wrote, “As a kid I didn’t watch cartoons, I was obsessed with animal planet, but not just animal planet but Steve Irwin, he was my childhood hero, I had 4 birthday party’s that were crocodile Hunter themed, I’d always say growing up that No matter what I’d go to Australia one day and meet him, When my mom told me the news of his passing I was so upset I didn’t go to school for days, he made such a good impact on all of our childhoods I’m sure, I wish nothing but the best for him and his family, got me tearing up just thinking about it.”

Others noted how Steve undeniably lives on in his son.

“Robert is a perfect example of carrying a legacy. All because Steve has passed away doesn’t mean he’s gone and that’s thanks to his family. Robert’s carrying the torch now and doing a damn well job at it,” commented one person.

Steve Irwin was a hero to many—both animals and humans alike. When you choose to dedicate your life to making the world a better place, it makes a difference, no matter how long you have. This moment is a shining, heartwarming example of that. Steve might be gone, but he continues to inspire others through the work of his family. That’s something to be proud of, indeed.

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Pop Culture

A 1991 clip shows how calmly Steve Irwin responds to getting bitten by a snake on TV

"You might have to cut it. He's biting my neck."

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Steve Irwin during a 1991 TV appearance

If you were conscious in the '90s or early 2000s then you likely have a pretty good idea who Steve Irwin is. If not, then you've probably at the very least become familiar with his children, Bindi and Robert, who have carried on his legacy of educating the public about animals. But in 1991, Irwin was just on the cusp of becoming a household name, so getting bitten on the neck by a snake while filming his weekly segment probably wasn't in the cards. But the snake must've been tired of being worn like a necklace and had other ideas.

Irwin was always known for his excitement around animal education but the normally animated Australian was oddly calm as the snake clamped down. Funnily enough, the little python decided to take a bite right after Irwin had finished telling the host that the snake wasn't feeling threatened so he wouldn't bite. Just as the words finished leaving his mouth the snake took his chance. You can see the realization sink into Irwin's face just before he tells the crew in a calm tone, "You might have to cut it. He's biting my neck." He emphasizes, "I'm serious," before instructing the cameraman to zoom in closer so he can get a better look to try to get the snake to release him. Thankfully the snake was nonvenomous and promptly let go of the late star's neck.

Irwin surely was no stranger to animal bites at that point in his career, but I'm not sure there's anything that prepares you for getting bitten on the neck while doing a television show.

Check out the video below:

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Texas man takes down alligator using techniques he learned from Steve Irwin

A great story but seriously, do not try this at home.

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Steve Irwin, "Crocodile Hunter" cut-out

When a headline mentions anything about “wrestling gators,” you might expect it to be the shenanigans of a “Florida Man.” However, this gator story takes place further west in Missouri City, Texas … and it was indirectly brought to us by the late great “Crocodile Hunter” himself, Steve Irwin.

“What a morning,” Mike Trinh wrote on his Facebook post. Trinh had been preparing to take his youngest daughter to her first day in middle school when the girl ran to him yelling that an alligator was at the front door.

Thinking it a get-out-of-school ploy, Trinh didn’t take it seriously. That is, until he saw the creature himself.

Luckily, Trinh knew exactly what to do, thanks to a certain wildlife icon.

“All my years watching Steve Irwin, I figured I can deal with any wildlife as long as it ain’t a stingray,” Trinh wrote. He shared with ABC 13 that Irwin was one of his “heroes” and he'd been watching him since childhood.

Trinh might have used what he dubbed “Steve Irwin tactics” including covering the alligator's eyes and pinning its mouth closed, but he also added his own spin, using Brazilian jiujitsu.

“Once I got closer, I put my knee on it. In jiu-jitsu, it's called 'knee in belly.' I had a knee on it, spun to the back, sat on it, and then grabbed the mouth,” Trinh told ABC 13.

And as Trinh learned from Irwin, “Once you grab the mouth, that's it. It's done.”

How does Trinh’s technique compare with Irwin’s? Judging by this video below, not bad.

Here we see Irwin making sure the the crocodile’s eyes and mouth are incapacitated, and making sure to stay on top of it. Although that second part wasn’t so easy—two other full grown men had to come in and assist.

Of course, the obvious caveat in all of this is Irwin was a trained professional and had been catching crocs since the ripe old age of 9. The man had successfully rescued hundreds of them, according to the Irwin family’s official website.

Plus, the Crocodile Hunter had the utmost respect and reverence for the creatures he worked with. Even in the above video, he put his own life on the line in an attempt to rescue wildlife.

Bottom line: Maybe don’t try this at home. Even if you’re the biggest Irwin fan of all time.

Still, it did make for a cool story. And it seems to have been a success. Trinh applied everything he learned from Irwin and even gave his daughter a lesson too, as she had to “tie up the mouth.” Seems like the kind of hands-on teaching style Irwin would be proud of.

Like many of “The Crocodile Hunter”’s famed catches, this Texas alligator got a happy ending, as Trinh was finally able to load him in a truck and relocate him to a nearby pond.

Sometimes you never know when the things you learn will come in handy. But when they do, it just might be a surprise that’ll make you say “Crikey!”

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Animals & Wildlife

Robert Irwin honors his father's legacy—wrestling crocs and teaching us to respect nature

Twitter, Instagram

Images from the Australia Zoo and Robert Irwin.

Steve Irwin was just one of those too-good-for-this-world celebrities. For me, he’s right up there with David Bowie, Dolly Parton and Betty White. Though his methods were unconventional, Irwin found his own wild way of bringing the natural world to the masses, with unbridled passion and enthusiasm.

As he wrestled with dangerous beasts, we got up close and personal with some of Mother Earth’s most misunderstood, learning that there’s so much more to love than fear. His moniker might have been The Crocodile Hunter, but he was definitely more of a wildlife warrior.

Steve’s son Robert Irwin recently posted a video to his Instagram, and man, is this kid not only the spitting image of his father, he also honors Steve’s legacy of providing wildlife education and promoting conservation … all while nearly being eaten by a giant reptile. Proving that boldness never really goes out of style.

In a recent teaser video for the latest season finale of Animal Planet’s “Crikey! It’s the Irwins” series, Robert Irwin goes in, up close and personal, for his first feeding with Casper, a massive leucistic (completely pale) saltwater crocodile.

See on Instagram

Like most crocs, Casper is wild, ferocious and territorial. “Since dad first got Casper … he’s had that instinct,” Robert tells us.

Robert will need to see if Casper is happy in his new enclosure by seeing if he strikes.

Meat in hand, Robert stomps on the ground, sending vibrations over to Casper, who definitely gets the message. As he lunges out of the water, Robert jokes, “Oh yeah, he’s keen” before we get an aerial view of a high-speed crocodile chase and the video abruptly ends. It is a teaser, after all.

This might seem like a piece of theater, but there’s more to it than that. As Robert points out, this activity is actually for the crocodile’s happiness and well-being.

Robert’s caption reads, “We prioritise natural behaviour with our crocs. By getting in their enclosures with them, and letting them put on those huge strikes from the water’s edge, they get to use all of their predatory instincts and they just love it!”

Don’t just take Rob’s word for it. As Basic Biology states, inherently stealthy crocodiles “ambush their prey as they drink from the water’s edge.”

In addition to facilitating this hunting method, many zoos and conservation institutes meticulously design their crocodile enclosures to match the same environments found in nature; everything from sandy pool bottoms to mimic the bottom of a lake to natural visual barriers like fallen trees.

The Australia Zoo, owned by the Irwins, is itself one of the world’s leading research centers dedicated to studying crocodile behavior. According to the zoo’s website, the conservation organization regards Steve's capture and study techniques as the “world’s best to this day.”

I mean, just looking at some of his greatest catches, the man did have a knack for it.

Robert seems to be following in those footsteps. I’m so here for it.

“The message is simple: love and conserve our wildlife” - Steve Irwin. The greatest Wildlife Warrior to ever live. Together, we can ensure Steve’s legacy lives on for the generations to come.🐊💚 pic.twitter.com/ritnf1Qsg5
— Australia Zoo (@AustraliaZoo) February 23, 2019

To quote Steve, “the message is simple: love and conserve our wildlife.” With the same genuine heart, fearless love and unbeatable positivity, Robert’s work (and really, the work of the entire Irwin family) keeps that message alive.

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Steve Irwin said he loved money and couldn't get enough of it—for the best reason, of course

Jeffrey/YouTube

Steve Irwin was a unique man with a singular focus—conserving the natural world. The guy had so much enthusiasm for wildlife and such a love for the wonders of nature, it was hard not to be influenced by him. Few people come at their work—or life—with as much purity and passion as he did. Even 13 years after his death, his absence is still felt.

However, Irwin's wife and kids—Terri, Bindi, and Robert—have "carried the football" of his work, as he would say. He would undoubtedly be as proud of them as he said he would in a video compilation about his legacy.

The video starts with Irwin explaining, in his patented passionate way, why he was put on this planet—with Terri gazing at him with unbridled love. Then Irwin starts talking about how much he loves money and how he can't get enough of it. But of course, like everything else he talked about, it all came back to his primary purpose.

The whole video makes it clear why Irwin was universally beloved. (Just grab a tissue before you watch. Don't say we didn't warn you.)

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steve irwin

Robert Irwin brought to tears after getting a birthday message from his late dad Steve

Robert recently turned 19 and carries on his father's legacy in every way.

A 1991 clip shows how calmly Steve Irwin responds to getting bitten by a snake on TV

"You might have to cut it. He's biting my neck."

Texas man takes down alligator using techniques he learned from Steve Irwin

A great story but seriously, do not try this at home.

Robert Irwin honors his father's legacy—wrestling crocs and teaching us to respect nature

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