Robert Irwin is anaward - winning wildlife photographerand television personality as the master of ceremonies ofRobert ’s Real Life Adventures . The program centre around the Irwin family - runAustralia Zoowhere he get up tight and personal with some of Australia ’s most iconic species . Much like his father , Steve Irwin , he ’s a dab hand atfeeding the resident crocodilesbut , as he tells IFLScience , not all his face - to - grimace wildlife meeting run so smoothly .
What do you do ?
I am a conservationist and wildlife lensman . My family and I own and engage Australia Zoo and a non - profit environmental organization calledWildlife Warriorssupporting preservation projects around the world . We also melt the largest wildlife hospital of its sort in the world , and we care tempestuous animal refuges throughout our state of Queensland . It is grueling to nail one particular job deed of conveyance , I get to live a hurricane of a life and I feel very fortunate to have so many picture taking opportunities as part of my line of work .
How did you end up here ?
For me , I was born into a love for wildlife and uncivilized home . I have grown up in the midsection of Australia Zoo , teach from my family line who are all so passionate about preservation . Quite ahead of time on , I detect photography to be an amazing way to tell significant stories about the upshot facing our planet . Over the years , it has become a monumental passion for me , and now to win theWildlife Photographer of The Year People ’s Choice AwardI feel immensely honoured for my workplace to be realise in such a prestigious challenger .
What ’s the most coarse misconception about your line of work ?
In the field of wildlife photography , people may think it ’s a nimble and square mental process to entrance an image . While sometimes a with child shot can be a degenerate and opportunist scenario , a lot of the clip we photographers put ourselves in very unusual and uncomfortable situations to catch the best blastoff without interrupting the matter , to trance it in a completely wild form . I have trudge out into blizzard , place upright in the pouring pelting , and put quite a little of dents in my cameras and lens to get that perfect slant . But it is so worth it when you’re able to capture a instant that will inspire the audience .
Funniest minute on the job ?
There are so very many funny and unexpected thing that have encounter as part of my work with wildlife and picture taking . lately , I respond to rescue with a carpet python ( a with child non - poisonous specie of Australian snake ) that was find lodge on a meddling road . After picking him up and check his health at our wildlife infirmary , I released him back into the wilderness away from any dealings . As I sound to place him on the earth and reunify him with a wild environment , he swung around andbit me satisfying on the centre . There were a lot of laughs , and what ’s more , it was evencaptured on cameraas part of a documentary I was filming at the time .
Hairiest minute on the job ?
In my stock of piece of work , there are always close call and the occasional pungency when working in tight proximity with life-threatening animals . But ironically , the biggest fails and most intense accidental injury that I have experienced have not been with a crocodile or venomous snake , but rather with a wheel . While filming for a show , I rode my peck cycle from one side of our zoo to other and cease up taking one particular hill a bit too fast , resulting in a massive clash and a trip to emergency . A month of convalescence from a badly separated shoulder then result !
What do you never go away the mansion without ?
I never lead the star sign without a television camera and my favourable lid – it ’s a big , former , beat - up bushman ’s hat that I found on a research expedition to the remote forests of Northern Queensland .
What ’s a upright first step towards working with or photograph wildlife ?
I would sure enough encourage everyone , and specially immature people , to get involve with picture taking or conservation in some way . I hope that by winning this People ’s Choice award I can not only partake in a message about the need to preserve our environs but also show other kids that you could achieve big things if you have a passion for it . I reckon that the future of our surround depends on how we act as right now , and our novel genesis has such cacoethes to make the world a better place . So , to any kid who wants to get into photography , with the ride to make a deviation , with a moment of patience and some recitation , you could do so much for our major planet .
