Robert Irwin Gets Emotional Sharing Zoo Milestone Tied to Late Father Steve: 'Dad Would Be Pretty Proud'

Robert called the recent hatching of a rare Irwin's turtle at the Australia Zoo "one of the most special moments ever"

Robert Irwin is celebrating a poignant milestone.

The 19-year-old shared in a TikTok video on Saturday that the Australia Zoo has a new resident with a very special connection to his late father, wildlife expert Steve Irwin. Robert was overcome with emotion as he spoke about the recent hatching of an Irwin's turtle, which marked the first time the rare freshwater species was bred in a zoo since Steve discovered a female specimen during a crocodile-hunting trip on the Burdekin River in Queensland in 1990.

"This is one of the highlights of my entire life and one of the most special moments ever for Australia Zoo. This is the very first Elseya irwini, or Irwin's turtle, ever hatched for any zoological facility anywhere in the world," he explained.

As an old photo appeared on the screen of his father holding up the adult Irwin's turtle he discovered, Robert continued, "This species is a turtle that dad originally discovered out in the wild, and for the first time we've got a little baby."

The video showed Robert holding the tiny turtle in his palm while standing over a small pond at the zoo. "Right now, he's getting in his first swim in a brand new pond," he explained. "This is a little slice of the wild. Let's get him in the water."

"Off he goes," Robert said. As he watched the baby turtle swim off and begin to explore its new habitat, Robert reflected on the emotional moment and the memories of his father that surfaces.

"It's just so surreal," he said, he voice wavering. "And all those stories from Dad about just how amazing and beautiful they are… I don't get emotional that much, but I just know Dad would be really proud, Dad would be stoked," he said.

In the caption for his video, Robert also noted that "a rare and unique species under threat in the wild has just been given a second chance."

Related: Robert Irwin Feeds Alligator as Sister Bindi's Daughter Grace Looks on: Watch

According to Wildlife Warriors, the animal conservation foundation established by Steve and wife Terri Irwin in 2002, Irwin's turtles have a specialized habitat requiring fresh oxygenated water to enable cloacal breathing, making them susceptible to habitat degradation. Since the erection of a dam in the Burdekin River in 1987, the turtle species' population has been in sharp decline.

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Related: Robert Irwin Reflects on 'Early Memories' with Late Father Steve in Tribute to 'My Dad's Ute'

Robert and his sister, Bindi Irwin, frequently share memories on social media of their father, who was killed by a stingray in 2006 at the age of 44. Back in April, Robert reminisced about some fun times with his dad as he paid tribute to Robert's old "ute" on Instagram.

"My dad’s ute… it’s a special car. From early memories when Dad would park and let me pretend to drive, to more recently when I took my drivers test in it (and somehow managed not to stall it 😂)," he wrote, alongside a photo of himself as a young boy holding the car's steering wheel while sitting on Steve's lap.

Robert's post also included two recent photos of him with the car, which he continues to drive now. "I remember my first solo drive in this car after I got my license — it was to the hospital to meet my niece for the first time," he added, referring to the March 2021 birth of Bindi's daughter, Grace Warrior. "And now, the ute still comes on road trips to this day…"

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