During a public show one month after Irwin was born, his father carried him in his arm while hand feeding a chicken carcass to a 3.8-metre (12ft 6in)saltwater crocodile.[10] Irwin was close to the reptile, and comparisons were made in the press to the singer Michael Jackson dangling his son Prince outside of a German hotel window.[11] The incident prompted the Queensland Government to change its crocodile handling laws, banning children and untrained adults from entering crocodile enclosures.[12] Special dispensation, however, was granted to a child who met a very strict set of guidelines and training requirements.[12]
When Irwin was two years old, his father was killed by a stingray injury to the heart while filming an underwater documentary.[13] His mother was named the sole owner of Australia Zoo, where he and his sister were homeschooled following their father's death.[14] 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,[15] whose males max out at about 3 metres (9.8ft).[16]
From February 2017 to August 2019, Irwin made frequent appearances on the American late-night television series The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to present various animals to its host, Jimmy Fallon.[22][23] He was invested as a member and ambassador of Scouts Australia on 6 April 2017,[24] formalising a partnership between the organisation and Australia Zoo that aims to encourage Australia's young people to become involved with wilderness and conservation.[25][26] With his mother and sister, Irwin starred in and co-produced the Animal Planet series Crikey! It's the Irwins (2018–2022).[27] He had to make an emergency escape from a crocodile enclosure while filming an episode after an overzealous 3.7-metre-long (12ft), 350-kilogram (770lb) 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.[28][29]
In April 2025, Irwin was announced as the first contestant on the thirty-fourth season of the American competition series Dancing with the Stars.[36] He was partnered with professional dancer Witney Carson,[37] and later competed in a jive relay with actress Xochitl Gomez.[38] Despite suffering a rib cage injury prior to the finale, Irwin and Carson won the competition on 25 November 2025.[39] Irwin is the first Australian male contestant to win the series and, at age 21, the youngest male winner in the series so far. Additionally, his sister Bindi's title from the twenty-first season makes them the first celebrity sibling duo to be crowned champions.[40]
↑Robert and Witney only received two judges's scores, as Carrie Ann Inaba was absent.
↑Robert and Witney also received a score of 9 from guest judge Kym Johnson.
↑Robert and Witney also received a score of 9 from guest judge Jon M. Chu.
↑Robert and Witney also received a score of 9 from guest judge Cheryl Burke.
↑Robert and Witney received three bonus points in this dance marathon.
↑Robert and Witney also received a score of 10 from guest judge Flavor Flav.
↑Team Kool also received a score of 10 from guest judge Flavor Flav.
↑Robert and Witney also received a score of 10 from guest judge Tom Bergeron.
↑Robert received two bonus points for winning this dance relay with celebrity partner Xochitl Gomez.
Wildlife photography
As the leading photography contributor to the Australia Zoo Crikey magazine, Irwin has embarked upon many photography expeditions around the globe.[41] His photos have been featured in galleries throughout Australia and have toured in exhibitions around the world.[41] In 2016 and 2020, he was named the junior runner-up of Australian Geographic's Nature Photographer of the Year competition.[42][43] His work was highly commended in the 2018 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards, and he won the People's Choice Award during the 2020 ceremony.[41]
Irwin uses his interest in wildlife photography to help raise awareness about wildlife conservation.[41] He raised tens of thousands of dollars for his family's non-profit organization Crocodile Diaries by auctioning canvas prints of his work at events worldwide.[41] He has also met with world leaders such as Charles III and William, Prince of Wales to discuss the protection of natural habitats.[41]
Personal life
Irwin considers himself to be a spiritual person, and finds the most solace from being in nature.[44] He was previously in a two-year relationship with Rorie Buckey, the niece of actor Heath Ledger.[45] Irwin is a supporter of LGBTQ rights, and has spoken publicly about women's health issues.[44]
↑McIlveen, Luke (4 September 2006). "Irwin's Death was Filmed". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Archived from the original on 20 September 2006. Retrieved 9 February 2007.
↑"Robert Irwin Announcement". Paramount Pictures Australia. 19 February 2015. Archived from the original on 16 September 2019. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
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