Robert Irwin, the son of the late conservationist Steve Irwin, has celebrated breeding a rare turtle named after his father.
Steve, also known as the Crocodile Hunter, was an Australian zookeeper and media personality known for his nature-based TV shows and his catchphrase ‘Crikey’ during his close encounters.
He died in 2006 after he was stabbed 100 times by a stingray in just seconds.
His children Robert, 19, and Bindi, 25, have continued his animal-loving legacy.
Robert shared footage on social media of the very first Elseya Irwini, or Irwin’s turtle, hatched at a zoological facility anywhere in the world.
“This is one of the highlights of my entire life, one of the most special moments ever for Australia Zoo,” he said.
“This species is a turtle that Dad originally discovered out in the wild and for the first time we have got a little baby.”
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He grew emotional as he considered what his father would make of the hatchling.
“It’s so surreal. All the stories from Dad about how beautiful they are,” he said, trailing off.
“Dad would be stoked with that,” he says, adding: “We did it.”
Irwin’s turtle is native to Australia and was first discovered by Steve, and his father Bob Irwin, during a crocodile-catching trip on the Burdekin River in 1990.
The turtle has come under threat due to the construction of the Burdekin Dam, which has caused a decline in water quality on the river and made it harder for the species to survive and reproduce.
