Robert Irwin has shared a frightening moment from his conservation work, describing being "death rolled" by a massive crocodile he'd nicknamed years earlier during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
What happened
Irwin, 22, explained that the crocodile involved, which he'd playfully named Jimmy Fallon as a juvenile, has since grown into what conservationists call a "boss croc," now measuring around 14 feet. As part of ongoing research into wild crocodile populations aimed at improving conservation efforts, a technique his father Steve Irwin developed involves physically jumping onto the animals. After doing so, Irwin said the crocodile responded with a death roll, leaving him pinned beneath roughly 700 pounds of weight with his arm trapped, before the animal rolled back the other way and released him unharmed.
What a death roll actually is
A death roll is a defensive and predatory manoeuvre used by crocodiles, in which the animal clamps onto something and rapidly spins its entire body to disorient, subdue, or tear apart what it's holding. It's one of the more dangerous behaviours associated with crocodile encounters, and Irwin's account reflects the risk inherent in the hands-on research techniques used to study the animals in the wild.
Continuing his father's legacy
Robert is the son of Steve Irwin, the conservationist known as "The Crocodile Hunter," who died in September 2006 after being fatally injured by a stingray while filming at the Great Barrier Reef. Robert was two years old at the time. Since then, his mother Terri and sister Bindi have continued their father's conservation work, running Australia Zoo in Queensland alongside Robert.
Robert has spoken about the significance of continuing his father's mission, saying making his father proud remains central to everything he does. Both Robert and Bindi have also competed on and won Dancing With the Stars, with Bindi winning in 2015 and Robert following in 2025, describing the experience as a meaningful platform to represent his conservation work and connect with a wider audience.
