It is not every day you find yourself pinned beneath 317 kilograms of apex predator, but for Robert Irwin, it is simply another afternoon at the office. The 22-year-old wildlife warrior recently visited The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and while he was there to talk about his flourishing television career, he ended up sharing a harrowing tale of a research mission gone sideways.
The star of the story? A massive, four-metre-long saltwater crocodile aptly named “Jimmy Fallon.”
A “Boss Croc” with a Grudge
During the interview, Robert gave the American host an update on his reptilian namesake residing at Australia Zoo in Queensland. According to Robert, the crocodile has transitioned into what the keepers call a “boss croc.” He is dominant, territorial, and (as Robert learned the hard way) incredibly powerful.
When Fallon playfully defended the crocodile’s physique, suggesting the animal was simply putting on some “middle-age weight,” Robert was quick to point out that he has felt that weight firsthand. In the world of the Irwins, conservation is a contact sport. To study these magnificent creatures and fit them with tracking equipment, the team often employs the technique pioneered by the late Steve Irwin: the jump.
The 700-Pound Pin
“You actually have to jump on them,” Robert explained to a visibly stunned audience. “So, I jumped on the back of Jimmy Fallon and, get this… he death-rolled me.”
For those unfamiliar with crocodilian physics, the death roll is a rapid, 360-degree spinning manoeuvre used to subdue prey. When a 14-foot (4.2-metre) crocodile decides to spin while you are on its back, gravity and momentum are rarely on your side. Robert recounted being trapped underneath the 317kg reptile, with his arm pinned and his body pressed into the mud.
“I’ve got maybe 700 pounds on top of me and I’m just like, ‘What do I do?'” Robert said. In a stroke of immense luck, the crocodile eventually rolled back in the opposite direction, allowing Robert to scramble to safety. While he walked away unscathed, the encounter serves as a vivid reminder of the risks the Irwin family takes to protect Australia’s native species.
From the Mud to the Ballroom
Despite his brush with a “boss croc,” Robert’s schedule remains packed with less dangerous, though perhaps equally nerve-wracking endeavours. He is currently preparing to host the Dancing With The Stars spin-off, Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro.
The competition was filmed in Brisbane, with several segments shot on location at Australia Zoo. It is a fitting role for Robert, who recently secured his own mirrorball trophy on the Australian version of the show, following in the footsteps of his sister, Bindi, who won the US title in 2015.
The new series will follow twelve elite dancers as they compete for a professional spot on the main stage of Season 35. While Robert is clearly comfortable under the bright lights of a television studio, one gets the feeling he is much more at home in the dust and water of the Sunshine Coast, even if it means the occasional 317kg “hug” from a crocodile.
