Emily
Steve Irwin’s son, Robert, has recently faced significant backlash on social media following the viral spread of a ‘disturbing’ clip involving him and an animal.
Robert, born on December 1, 2003, to famed conservationist Steve Irwin and his passionate wife, Terri Irwin, seemed destined to carry on his family’s deep love for wildlife.
However, Robert is now under fire online. Many are calling for the young star to be ‘cancelled’ due to a ‘disturbing’ clip involving an animal. From the start, Robert Irwin’s life has been closely tied to wildlife.
Raised at Australia Zoo, his family’s expansive animal sanctuary, he was constantly surrounded by a variety of creatures. Robert’s journey into the spotlight began early with appearances alongside his parents on various television shows.
Despite his father’s tragic death when Robert was just nine, he and his family committed to honoring Steve’s legacy by continuing his mission of wildlife conservation.
Over the years, Robert has become a prominent conservation figure, frequently appearing on television to raise awareness about environmental issues.
At Australia Zoo, he has played an active role, ensuring the health and well-being of its residents and advocating for endangered species and their habitats.
Recently, however, a ‘disturbing’ clip of Robert has turned public sentiment against him.
The social media backlash began after a recent incident at Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland, where Robert and his mother, Terri, appeared on the Australian morning show Today to promote the zoo’s reopening and their docuseries Crikey! It’s the Irwins. During the show, Robert shared footage of a close encounter with Casper, one of the zoo’s crocodiles.
This incident has sparked intense debate on social media. Some users criticized the zoo’s practices, arguing against wildlife captivity for human entertainment and expressing concerns about the safety of such interactions.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Robert and Australia Zoo have faced significant criticism, with users condemning the crocodile shows.
“Zoos should never exist, wild animals shouldn’t be held captive for the amusement of humans,” one person wrote. Another commented, “Leave the animals alone,” while a third added, “When will they learn? This is sad. For a show, was it worth it?”
One user criticized Robert, saying, “He IS taking after his father! I couldn’t stand to watch Steve bait the animals so that he would look ‘tough’ and brave! This is just wrong. Make Robert STOP!!!”
Despite the criticism, some commenters have defended Robert. One user noted, “It’s funny how the internet says cancel but yet his zoo is still running. Sounds a lot like y’all trying to cancel, but failing.”
Another supporter commented, “People need to chill out and leave this guy alone. Do people realize the croc has gone through this routine hundreds of times and it’s not been a problem before?”
The clip shows Robert narrowly avoiding an encounter with Casper, who charged at him, prompting the keeper to yell “Bail, bail, bail!!!” as fellow keepers rushed in to help.
Despite the harrowing experience, Robert maintains a positive outlook, describing it as ‘a lot of fun’ and praising Casper as an impressive specimen. He wrote on Instagram, “We can educate everyone about their conservation. But safety for us is also crucial and you definitely have to know when to call it. And with such a powerful and quick croc like Casper, we had no choice but to bail!”
Nonetheless, not everyone shares Robert’s enthusiasm. Some viewers have labeled the zoo’s encounters as ‘animal abuse for entertainment’ and accused the Irwin family of ‘tormenting’ the reptiles.
Amid the controversy, Terri Irwin has expressed pride in her son’s dedication to continuing his father’s work with crocodiles at the zoo. “There are days where you cut it finer than other days, but I know that Robert’s well-rehearsed with crocodiles,” she said. “Because I watched the crocs that used to try so diligently to kill your dad, and now they’re after you in the same way,” she told her son, laughing.