Robert Irwin has had a terrifying encounter at Australia Zoo while feeding a crocodile.
WATCH: Robert Irwin’s terrifying near miss as croc strikes
Late last night, the 17-year-old posted a video to his Instagram showing the alarming moment when a crocodile got a little too close for comfort while the wildlife warrior was attempting to feed it (watch in the player above).
In the scary footage, Robert can be seen luring the crocodile to the water’s edge with what seems to be a dead bird. Upon seeing its snack, the hungry croc leapt out of the water and right into Rob’s path, forcing the teenager to jump backwards.
Robert, however, seemed to take the terrifying near-miss in his stride, captioning this footage, “Bluey the croc putting on a big strike! There’s nothing quite like getting to experience the power of these modern-day dinosaurs, it’s such a privilege”.
Fans were quick to comment on the near-miss, with actress Emma Perry particularly alarmed at what she witnessed.
“Wow, amazing,” the animal-loving actress wrote under the footage. “Not gonna lie, my heart skipped a beat there! 🐊 💫.”
Of course, Rob – and the entire Irwin clan – is used to dangerous animals, having worked with them all his life and seeing first-hand the risks that are involved. When Robert was just two years old, his father, the late and legendary Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, died from a shocking accident involving a stingray.
On September 4th 2006, the world was shocked to discover that Steve Irwin had died from a stingray attack. The Crocodile Hunter had been filming in the Great Barrier Reef at the time when a short-tail stingray stabbed him in the chest with its barb.
Since his tragic death, both Robert and his older sister Bindi have been honouring his legacy, sharing their love and knowledge of animals far and wide.
Barely a day goes by where one of the Irwins doesn’t post some form of furry, spiky, or scaly friend on their Instagram.
Just two days ago, Robert shared an adorable photo holding a wallaby, writing, “Ear nibbles from Daniel the wallaby ❤️”.
And now it seems Steve’s legacy will live on even further as the eldest Irwin, Bindi is expecting a mini wildlife warrior this year.
“Baby Wildlife Warrior due 2021,” Bindi wrote on Instagram back in August last year.
“Chandler and I are proud to announce that we’re expecting! It’s an honour to share this special moment in our lives with you.”
The Crocodile Hunter is sure to be proud of how his kids are continuing his legacy.
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