You can’t keep Terri Irwin, Bindi Irwin, and Robert Irwin Down Under for long! The family of the late Steve “The Crocodile Hunter” Irwin is back on TV starting a “new chapter of our lives,” Robert, 14, exclusively told Closer Weekly of their Animal Planet series Crikey! It’s the Irwins. The show, which captures the Irwins’ wildlife at the Australia Zoo, marks the first time all three have teamed up for a series since Steve’s tragic 2006 death at the age of 44 from a freak stingray attack.

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“I have the best family on the planet,” beamed Bindi, 20, who cares for more than 1,200 animals with her mom and brother. “Robert is truly a scientist and I’m constantly learning from him. And mom, she’s Wonder Woman, running the zoo but always being there for me and Robert.”

In the 12 years since her husband’s death, Terri is still inspired by the love of her life. “Crikey! He was going 90 miles per hour always, rarely sleeping past 2 a.m.,” Terri, 54, said. “He’d do a full day’s work before I even [started], and he was just as passionate as what you saw on television.”

That’s why it’s so important for her to keep his legacy alive. “From the time they hatched,” Terri joked of her kids, “Steve was a hands-on dad. There was nothing that made him happier than sharing wildlife and adventures with Bindi and Robert.”

The lessons he taught them are at the heart of their new series. “He always said to treat animals the way you’d want to be treated,” Robert recalled. “That’s always stayed with us. Of course, that’s applicable to people as well. If you treat every living thing around you with love and respect, then that will always be reciprocated. I think that’s a really important message, especially in this day and age.”

Bindi shared that her late dad always wanted her and Robert to follow their passions. “Dad always encouraged us to do what we love,” she shared. We can’t imagine how much it would mean to Steve, knowing his family was following in his footsteps and living out his legacy. 

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