Robert Irwin welcomes new addition to conservationist family – after revealing ‘engagement plans with girlfriend Rorie Buckey’
Robert Irwin welcomed a brand new member of the Australia Zoo family last Monday.
The famed conservationist, 19, introduced an extremely rare species of turtle to the wildlife sanctuary after his father Steve Irwin discovered them in 1990.
The media personality posted a video of the beautiful animal on Instagram, explaining that the freshwater species was named Elseya irwini after its father.
‘For many years we have wanted them here at Australia Zoo, and at last we can say we have them. We actually rescued several Irwin’s Turtles,” he said.
“There simply isn’t enough data on them to classify them as an endangered species because they are so incredibly rare.”
Robert Irwin, 19, (pictured) welcomed a brand new member of the Australia Zoo family last Monday
He continued, “But what we do know is that they are very much at the mercy of human-created threats. Things like dams, mining, pollution, habitat degradation.”
Gently holding the docile creature in his hands, Robert explained that the Irwin’s Turtle lives “in very isolated water sacs.”
“So if anything happened to these waterways, it would be game over for the entire species,” he said.
The famed conservationist introduced an extremely rare species of turtle to the nature reserve after his father Steve Irwin discovered them in 1990
“That’s why it’s so incredibly important to have a population here at Australia Zoo to ensure that this species can survive for generations to come,” he added.
The new family addition comes after Robert reportedly planned to pop the question to his girlfriend Rorie Buckey after seven months of dating
According to New Idea magazine, protective mom Terri Irwin worried that her smitten son and his smitten girlfriend, 18, would run down the aisle too soon.
The media personality posted a video of the beautiful animal on Instagram, explaining that the freshwater species was named Elseya irwini, after its father
“Terri feels like Robert is moving way too fast,” a source told the publication.
“Rorie is a sweetheart and it’s easy to see why he’s definitely in love, but Terri knows the stakes are high,” they added.
They claimed that Robert is a “romantic” who hopes to emulate his mother’s quick engagement to her late husband Steve after only eight months of dating in 1992.
Robert and Rorie, the niece of legendary Australian actor Heath Ledger, are currently in a long-distance relationship, with Robert at Australia Zoo in Queensland while Rorie is in Perth.
The new family addition comes after Robert reportedly planned to pop the question to his girlfriend Rorie Buckey, 18, (pictured) after seven months of dating
.