Robert Irwin and the Australia Zoo have made history
Robert Irwin has always been dedicated to carving his own path as a wildlife warrior while simultaneously honoring the legacy laid out by his father, Steve Irwin. Years ago, Steve discovered a rare and incredibly endangered animal he wanted to see protected. Finally, this year, his son Robert, 19, has secured that animal’s future.
Back in the ’90s, Steve discovered a new species of turtle that was named Elseya Irwini, or Irwin’s turtle, in his honor. This was the very first time Steve had discovered a species of turtle out in the world, but at that time, no zoo had been able to hatch them in their facilities – until Robert Irwin and the Australia Zoo.
On Saturday, Robert celebrated a huge milestone for the Australia Zoo, conservation efforts, and his father Steve’s long-term ambitions for protecting the Elseya Irwini. “Wow. This was a special moment,” he announced in an Instagram post.
He continued, “I think Dad would be pretty proud that we’ve become the first to successfully breed the turtle that he discovered. A rare, and unique species under threat in the wild has just been given a second chance.”
The post is accompanied by a video of Robert showing the tiny hatchling in his hand. “This is one of the highlights of my entire life and one of the most special moments ever for Australia Zoo,” he can be heard saying. “This is the very first Elseya Irwini turtle ever hatched for any zoological facility anywhere in the world.” Footage shows Steve and Robert holding the turtles that started it all.
Robert and his sister Bindi, 25, along with their mother Terri, have tirelessly worked to honor Steve’s legacy and protect endangered animals. Even so, moments like these are beyond comparison for Robert.
“It’s just so surreal,” he marveled, letting the young turtle into the water for its first swim. “And all the stories from dad about just how amazing and beautiful they are.”
“I don’t get emotional as much,” Robert shared as, in the video, he appeared overwhelmed in the moment. “Dad would be stoked with that. We did it.”
Steve, having died in 2006 at the age of just 44, did not get to see the Elseya Irwini’s future secured, but he laid valuable groundwork that was, remarkably, built upon by Robert. As one commenter pointed out on Instagram, “So, what Steve did for people of my generation, you and Bindi are doing for my children’s generation. Continue the passion, just as I do with telling my kids stories about your dad, they’ll tel their kids about you.”
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