Robert Irwin, 18, and son of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin nearly experience crocodile attack while filming his family's Discovery+ reality show "Crikey! It's the Irwins."
The 12-foot 4-inch crocodile saltwater crocodile named Casper was about to be fed by Robert after being moved to a new enclosure, when it suddenly leaped out of the water and began chasing him, waddling right past the food.
"A few weeks ago, we had one of the biggest most challenging crocodiles moves that we've had at the Australian Zoo," Irwin said in the video shared in USA Today. "We prioritise natural behaviour with our crocs. By getting in their enclosures with them, and letting them put on those huge strikes from the water's edge, they get to use all of their predatory instincts and they just love it!"
According to the television personality and wildlife photographer, Casper getting out of the water and making "big strikes" proved that he was ready to become the mid-day star of the crocodile show.
The magnificent "white crocodile"
Casper was held in a small enclosure at the Wyndam Crocodile Farm when Steve Irwin and his partner, Wes, took and housed him in a 5-star resort-style crocodile accommodation now known as the 'Triple Crocs', Steve, an Australian zookeeper who passed in 2006, said in internationalcrocodilerescue.com.
Even Robert said that his father thought Casper had such wild behavior since it first got there and had always had that instinct. Due to a condition called hypomelanism, Casper was white in color, meaning he would've been predated on at a young age in the wild, according to Australia Zoo. He was living a long and happy life with his girlfriend, Wendy, which was also in the same enclosure at the time Robert almost got attacked.
"With such a powerful and quick croc like Casper we had no choice but to bail," Robert said in the Instagram post. "Safety for us is also crucial and you definitely have to know when to call it."
Also read: Experts Discover "Alien" Species of Predatory Hammerhead Worms In Africa and Europe
"Crikey! It's the Irwins"
The TV show carries on wildlife conservationist Steve Irwin's mission to bring people closer to animals. Irwin along with his sister, Bindi, and mother, Terri, have continued Steve Irwin's work at the Australian Zoo after he died in 2006 from a stingray attack while filming the "Ocean's Deadliest."
The family show which first aired on Animal Planet in 2018, and picked up by Discovery + in 2021, premiered the fourth season on Jan. 1.
In the show's finale, Casper sure made a stunning appearance. Robert posted on his Instagram: "The finale of 'Crikey! It's the Irwins' is on now, 8pm in the USA so go check it out! We've definitely saved the best for last, including one of the most intense croc feeds I've done!"
In addition, Robert notes their effort to also educate everyone about their conservation, but seeing to it that safety was observed.
Also read: New Finding Opens Door to More Ideas about the Iconic Body Form of Megalodons