The Untold Truth Of Bindi Irwin's Brother
The next time Bindi Irwin's brother makes an appearance on your television screen, you may find yourself doing a double take. The resemblance to his iconic father, the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, is uncanny. Crikey!
"I really want to continue dad's message and his work and bringing awareness to conservation to as many people as possible," the youngest of the Irwin bunch shared as a part of his family's reality show, Crikey! It's the Irwins on Animal Planet. Robert Irwin, along with older sister Bindi, have helped to keep the family legacy alive ever since their father's unexpected passing while shooting a documentary when Robert was only 2 years old.
While the Irwin family is known mostly for conservation and their khakis, there's much more to these Aussies than just that. There are actually quite a few things that fans would be surprised to know about Bindi's little brother. This is the untold truth of Robert Irwin.
Bindi Irwin's brother is an award-winning photographer
When Robert Irwin isn't busy saving animals, he's busy traveling the world taking snapshots of them to share with those who don't get out in nature much. "It's a great tool to really get people connected with wildlife," he explained to BUILD Series.
Ever since he picked up a camera as only a kid, Bindi Irwin's brother has won multiple international awards for his photography year after year. Even the Irwin family has taken notice of his talent, making him the leading contributor of their family zoo's official Crikey magazine when he was only a teenager. His prints can be purchased at the zoo's gift shop. He's even auctioned off prints for wildlife preservation, making "tens of thousands of dollars for the [Irwins'] non-profit organization Wildlife Warriors," as noted by the Robert Irwin Photography website. "If you can show how beautiful each animal really is, I think that definitely goes a long way to their protection," Irwin explained.
He's traveled all over the world snapping photos of various species, but photographing his sister Bindi's engagement to Chandler Powell has got to be his best. "I've photographed some pretty cool stuff in my time... nothing comes close to this," he gushed on Instagram.
Bindi Irwin's brother, Robert, starred in his very own Emmy-nominated TV show
Robert Irwin has been passionate about conservation ever since he was a kid, and he wants to share it with the world in any way he can. Just like his father, the famous Steve Irwin, he decided the best way to do this was on television. Though the littlest Irwin made his debut many times on his dad's shows as just a baby, his starring moment was hosting his very own Discovery show called Wild But True when he was only 10 years old. It was his way of educating the world on animals following the tragic passing of his father. "I'm so privileged to be able to continue his amazing legacy," Bindi Irwin's brother told the Today show.
The series, which was mostly shot at his family's zoo in Australia, was even nominated for an International Emmy Kids Award in 2016 (via News Australia).
Bindi Irwin's brother graduated from high school at age 15
Even though the Irwin family stays busy with traveling the world and television appearances, Robert Irwin and his sister, Bindi, have always made time to hit the books. Both of them were homeschooled while growing up inside a house at Australia Zoo (via Perth Now). Spending every day at a zoo when you're a kid can seem distracting when you're trying to learn long division, but living a life surrounded by science probably helps. "School can be difficult to fit in," he has admitted to New York Post. But even with how busy he and his sister have been, he's actually managed to stay ahead of their peers. Bindi Irwin's brother graduated high school when he was only 15 years old — two years earlier than most of us when we finally get the opportunity to wear caps and gowns.
The wildlife warrior has had to study "in planes, trains and thousands of hotel rooms in all corners of the world," he said in an Instagram post in October of 2019. "And today I've graduated from high school."
Bindi Irwin's brother is an animal presenter for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Wildlife expert Steve Irwin had always been loved in the states, and his son, Robert Irwin, is really no different. He's another Australian that Americans enjoy watching. When he was just 13 years old, the youngest Irwin made his first appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2017. "My dad was actually on The Tonight Show quite a while ago, and so it's really nice to be able to follow in his footsteps," he said during his first visit.
Ever since he let the late night talk show host cuddle a sloth, Bindi Irwin's brother has been invited back countless times as an animal presenter (via Robert Irwin Photography) — of course, not without being accompanied by some wild animals for Fallon to hold. "I think I'm the luckiest kid on planet Earth," Irwin told him when talking about growing up at Australia Zoo.
Bindi Irwin's brother leads live crocodile shows at Australia Zoo
The late Steve Irwin is most well known for his compassion for crocodiles, and his son is simply the same. "They're my favorite animals by far!" he told Animal Planet. Now on any visit to the famous Australia Zoo, visitors can catch the youngest Irwin feeding these predators during a live show. "It takes many years to learn how to do this," he explained to New York Post. "It's something that I've always wanted to do." After all, he did grow up watching his dad feed the same ferocious creatures that have been in their family zoo for decades.
His dad's righthand man, Wes Mannion, trained the youngest Irwin for his time to shine during the live crocodile shows. It may seem obvious, but feeding these unpredictable animals is no easy task. It's dangerous to serve them dinner because he can easily become a snack himself. "You really never know what's going to happen, and that's why I love it," Bindi Irwin's brother told Entertainment Tonight Canada. "I absolutely live for that adrenaline."
Robert Irwin, Bindi Irwin's brother, enjoys mountain biking
The Irwin family is famous for living life on the edge, so it only makes sense that Bindi Irwin's brother would enjoy a sport that satisfies that same desire. Robert Irwin apparently enjoys mountain biking in his down time. Good thing he lives in the perfect place for it and can enjoy biking the Glass House Mountains near his home at Australia Zoo.
Though he's yet to be injured feeding a ferocious crocodile at the zoo, he has broken bones from biking. In fact, he made headlines in May 2020 for his emergency hospitalization following an unfortunate mountain bike crash (via Australia's 7 News). "Wisdom teeth healed just in time for a massive crash on my mountain bike that resulted in a separated shoulder!" he revealed on Instagram. Who would have thought wrangling crocodiles would be a much safer hobby for him?
In 2019, Bindi Irwin and her brother made Time's 100 Next list
Robert Irwin is next up in his family to help protect the world and wildlife, and he was also named one of Time's 100 Next alongside his sister, Bindi Irwin, who has had a stunning transformation, in 2019. The magazine's list highlights 100 people each year who they believe are best helping to shape the future of the field they're in (via Time). "It really means a lot to know that what you're doing, your message, is reaching people, and people are listening to that," Robert told BUILD Series of his passion for protecting wildlife and even the world.
Climate change, in particular, is something that Bindi Irwin's brother wants young people to focus on now and in the future. In addition to animals, it was something that his father was always focused on changing since it impacts all living beings. "Kids are definitely the next generation to make a difference on the planet," he told Sunrise. "And if they love wildlife and respect all animals, then we'll have a great world to live in for generations to come."
Bindi Irwin's brother voiced a character in this SpongeBob movie
Robert Irwin has always used his voice to speak for wildlife, but in 2015, the young animal advocate used his voice to play Kyle the seagull in the Australian version of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.
The youngest Irwin is no stranger to the spotlight, so voicing an aquatic creature when he was a child was probably a much easier adventure than wrestling with a crocodile — which he has done on many occasions. "We've always grown up in front of a camera. Bindi and I were actually both literally filmed being born, for some of the original Crocodile Hunter documentary," Bindi Irwin's brother told New York Post. "I think it's really a great position that we're in, because we're able to reach a large audience and hopefully inspire people to join in on the wildlife conservation work that we do."
Notably, Steve Irwin was the voice of one of the seals in the popular 2006 animated penguin film Happy Feet.
Bindi Irwin's brother has a hidden talent
The various television shows that Robert Irwin has starred in alongside his famous family paints the perfect picture of what preserving our world should look like. However, Bindi Irwin's brother found he has another talent aside from TV when he decided to branch out. The young wildlife warrior can put together something special on a canvas. "I decided to try my hand at painting — sort of based off the Bob Ross technique of oil painting," he revealed on Australia Zoo's YouTube channel early on in 2020.
Ever since, he's been hooked on recreating panoramic portraits of nature. "I picked up some paint and grabbed a canvas, and just thought I'd see how it'd go, and I did a couple pieces, and they turned out pretty good," he admitted. Judging by the looks of how amazing the paintings he posts on Instagram are, we'd say he's got quite a skill! Crikey!
Robert Irwin, Bindi Irwin's brother, was a published author at age 9
Seeing as Robert Irwin began entertaining audiences with animals when he was only months old, it wouldn't be so surprising to know you can enjoy his work in a paperback version as well, but in more of a prehistoric sense. "Even though I love animals and crocodiles, what I really love is dinosaurs," he announced via Random House Books Australia, so he wrote and released a fictional series of books about them when he was only 9 years old called Robert Irwin Dinosaur Hunter. The artistic skills of Bindi Irwin's brother have even come in handy. Not only do the books include his own stories he wrote, but some of his own illustrations as well.
Unfortunately for this wildlife warrior, these prehistoric creatures are long gone when it comes to roaming the world. However, crocodiles are a close second for the Crocodile Hunter's son. "They're modern day dinosaurs, you know," he explained on Sunrise. "They've been on the planet for over 200 million years." In fact, they live for so long that the youngest Irwin even gets to feed the same ones each day that his dad did at Australia Zoo, as shared by Animal Planet.
Bindi Irwin's brother works in television too... but he still gets starstruck
Even though the Irwin family has found themselves surrounded by celebrities in addition to conservationists during their time on television, even Bindi Irwin's brother admits he can still get a little starstruck from time to time. "I'm not so much if I see, like, a movie person," Robert Irwin explained to Us Weekly. "It's more like if I see a photographer or someone that I really admire. I get nervous, and I can't say 'hi.'"
He and his family have pretty much met everyone in the industry too. However, even after Robert's various talk show appearances — and even a small cameo in the film Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove, which starred his sister, Bindi — there's still someone that the youngest Irwin aspires to one day meet. If he's ever around the famous photographer Frans Lanting, it will be a day to remember, according to Pedestrian TV. Even Robert will most likely be at a loss for words and "start giggling and fangirling," as he admitted to Us Weekly.
Robert Irwin's inspiration for his dog's name came from the TV show Modern Family
Crocodiles aren't so cuddly, so, in 2016, Bindi Irwin and her brother adopted a 10-week-old pug who they proudly named Stella (via Entertainment Tonight). "There's a show that we really like called Modern Family, and the dog in that show is named Stella, and we always loved that name," he explained on the Today show. "We always thought Stella was just the perfect name for a dog."
Along with their 1,200 other animals at Australia Zoo, Stella seems to get along really well. "She loves life at the zoo," Bindi Irwin's brother admitted. Many times, he explained, she can be found in the alpaca exhibit alongside the cuddly creatures, though she is usually recognized patrolling the zoo. In fact, the Australian Federal Police gave her an adorable uniform to let visitors know that this precious pug means business.
In 2019, the Irwins even added another furry friend to their family, named after one of their previous pet chickens, Piggy.
Bindi Irwin's brother is apparently a really great dancer
Though Bindi Irwin had absolutely zero dance experience before stealing the stage on Dancing with the Stars in 2015, she walked away as the season's winner. Turns out, these mad moves may just run — or dance — in the Irwin family. "Robert's the best dancer, for sure," she revealed to Us Weekly. He even, admittedly, has some pretty sweet signature dance moves including "the towel," "the sprinkler" and even "old man dancing," though he would completely deny his skills when asked about it himself. "I'm not as graceful as Bindi, let's just say that," Bindi Irwin's brother told Entertainment Tonight.
It sounds as if he may eventually follow in his older sister's footsteps. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2019, he revealed that he may just be up for competing on an upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars if he was asked to. "Maybe one day I'd give it a go," he said, though he's hesitant to say that he would walk away with a trophy just like Bindi. Anyone from ABC reading this, we'd love to see this wildlife warrior's wild dance moves on the show!
Robert Irwin, Bindi Irwin's brother, is often compared to his dad
Following the tragic passing of the iconic Steve Irwin in 2006 (via Los Angeles Times), fans everywhere found it refreshing to see Robert Irwin on their television screens. Interview after interview, the youngest Irwin has been told that he looks very similar to his Crocodile Hunter father. "That's the biggest compliment I could ever receive," he said on Entertainment Tonight.
His mom, Terri, even thinks the resemblance is uncanny. He walks like Steve, he talks like Steve, and he even shares the same enthusiasm for animals that her husband was widely known for sharing with the world. "It's an interesting study of following in your family's footsteps," she told 60 Minutes Australia. "He's a little Steve clone."
While this wildlife warrior is forging his own path, it's his dad that he says inspires him every day. "This is what we've dedicated our life to. It's making sure that message that he had, that passion that he had, continues," Bindi Irwin's brother told Entertainment Tonight. "He really did change the world."