The wildlife conservationist died in 2006 at age 44 after a stingray pierced his chest while he was filming a documentary in Australia
Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
NEED TO KNOW
- Robert and Bindi Irwin are honoring their father, Steve Irwin, 20 years after his death
- Bindi shared a video of Steve discussing her birth and reflected on the legacy he left behind
- Robert marked the anniversary with a photo of himself as a baby with his father, writing, “Your legacy is forever”
Robert and Bindi Irwin are remembering their father, Steve Irwin, 20 years after the wildlife conservationist died in a freak stingray attack.
Robert marked the anniversary by sharing a photo of himself as a baby sitting on his father’s lap on Instagram, captioning the image: “Your legacy is forever.”
Meanwhile, Bindi shared a video of her father discussing the birth of his first child, accompanied by a deeply personal reflection on the two decades since his death.
“The most incredible wildlife encounter of my life was the birth of my daughter Bindi,” Steve says in the interview shared by his daughter. He details Bindi’s birth before concluding, “I am the proudest father on the face of the earth, no doubt.”
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In the caption, Bindi reflected on her father’s death, her family’s grief and the impact of his legacy.
“20 years ago, today, the world lost the most passionate and dedicated wildlife conservationist. Our family lost our superhero. My mum lost the love of her life; my brother and I lost the greatest dad,” she wrote. “Grief never truly leaves us; we walk alongside it every day. Where there is enormous grief, there is even greater love.”
Now a mother herself, Bindi wrote that the past two decades have given her a new perspective on her father’s legacy.
“I always thought that my dad’s legacy is wildlife conservation; it turns out, his legacy is love,” she wrote. “For our planet and for each other.”
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She went on to describe the connection between Steve and her 5-year-old daughter, who watches his documentaries despite never having met him.
“I have a 5-year-old daughter who watches his documentaries every morning. She feels utterly loved by her ‘grandpa crocodile’ without ever having met him,” Bindi wrote.
“My dad left a lasting impact so poignant that it will ripple out for generations to come,” she continued. “I believe with my whole heart that his love will live on forever. In all of us. In every kindness we show to the Earth.”
“Dad, I love you with my whole heart. Thank you for being our guardian angel. And most of all, thank you for watching over my daughter now, too. She loves you so much. We all do,” she wrote.
Credit: Bindi Irwin/Instagram
Steve became internationally known as the host of The Crocodile Hunter, which premiered in 1996 and followed him and his wife, Terri Irwin, as they ran their wildlife refuge, Australia Zoo.
The couple welcomed Bindi in 1998 and Robert in 2003.
At the time of Robert’s birth, Steve reflected on how becoming a father had changed him.
“I never wanted to be a father, I couldn’t give a rip,” Steve told Australian Story in 2003. “Now I’m the proudest father, I gotta tell ya.”
Steve died on Sept. 4, 2006, at age 44 after a stingray pierced his chest while he was filming the documentary Ocean’s Deadliest at Batt Reef off the coast of Australia.
In the years since his death, his family has continued to work at Australia Zoo and carry on his conservation efforts. Robert, Bindi and Bindi’s husband, Chandler Powell, are all involved with the family’s work.
Robert has also spoken about his father’s wishes for the legacy he would leave behind. In an interview with PEOPLE in September 2025, he recalled Steve saying he cared less about being remembered than about people remembering what he stood for.
“He’d always go, ‘I don’t care if people remember me, I want people to remember my message and what I stand for,’” Robert said. “And I think people remember his message and him. He just showed what it was to truly live life at 100% and above anything else, he was just the greatest dad, always there for us.”
Robert and Bindi have also continued their father’s legacy through their own work in television and conservation. Bindi won Dancing with the Stars in 2015, while Robert won the Mirrorball Trophy 10 years later.
Credit: Robert Irwin/Instagram
Robert previously said that watching his sister win helped him understand how the show could amplify their family’s conservation message.
“It’s about making the world a better place. And when I watched her lift that Mirrorball, I saw her lifting that message,” he said.
In July, Terri marked the 24th anniversary of The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, the 2002 film she made with Steve and in which their daughter, Bindi, also appeared.
“It’s been 24 years since the premiere of The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course,” Terri wrote on Instagram. “What a time we had. Best crew, best fun, and the adventure of a lifetime. So grateful we were able to film this action-packed movie. Loved every minute!”
Credit: Newspix/Getty
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Bindi responded in the comments, writing, “I feel so lucky to have been part of this with you and Dad. Thank you for bringing me along for every moment. I’m so lucky to have the best parents in the entire world. I love you and Dad with all my heart. ❤️”
In May, Terri and Robert also spoke to PEOPLE about carrying on Steve’s legacy together, describing the experience as one marked by both grief and joy.
“It was a lot of work, it was a lot of grief,” Terri said. “There were times of great joy. And to be able to have shared that with him was incredibly special — and carry it on.”
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