ROBERT IRWIN - CONTINUING MY DAD'S LEGACY... MY OWN WAY!!

AT 21, THE AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATIONIST IS KEEPING HIS FATHER STEVE IRWIN'S WORK ALIVE: '

- GILLIAN TELLING

HE'S MY ABSOLUTE HERO' Robert Irwin was just 2 years old when the unthinkable happened: His dad, Steve Irwin, the excitable wildlife conservationist beloved for his Crocodile Hunter TV series, was killed by a stingray at age 44 while filming a documentary. Now his son, 21, is following in his footsteps at the Australia Zoo in Queensland, where he rescues wildlife of all kinds and teaches visitors about the importance of preserving the natural world. He notes that his father “was obviously passionate and enthusiastic, but behind everything was a genuine drive to make the world a better place.” Robert—who works at the zoo alongside his sister Bindi, 26, and mom, Terri, 60—chatted about life in the spotlight, educating the next generation and continuing the family’s mission with tools Steve didn’t have access to, like social media: “My dad is my inspiration through everything I do.”

Explain a little bit about your work at the Australia Zoo, which was first founded by your grandparents as a reptile park and then expanded by your dad.