The Prince of Wales has had a crocodile named after him by Robert Irwin in recognition of his Earthshot Prize.
Mr Irwin, son of the legendary late wildlife campaigner Steve Irwin, revealed he had bestowed his name upon a 12-foot saltwater crocodile.
The gesture recognises the future king’s unwavering commitment to wildlife protection and conservation causes.
The reptile, now dubbed Prince William, represents a significant achievement in Australian wildlife research.
It is the 300th crocodile to receive a tracking tag as part of an ambitious scientific programme based at the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve.
The milestone was announced by the young conservationist and television presenter, who runs Australia Zoo in Queensland, via his Instagram account.
In his social media post, Irwin described the crocodile as a “big boy” and a “modern-day dinosaur,” declaring: “I’m very proud to say that this big boy right here is the 300th crocodile that we have caught.”
“This is a really exciting milestone, and in gratitude and recognition for the incredible conservation work from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, we wanted to name this extremely special modern-day dinosaur, this amazing animal, after His Royal Highness. So meet Prince William.”
The Prince of Wales has had a crocodile named after him by Robert Irwin in recognition of his Earthshot Prize
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INSTAGRAM: @ROBERTIRWINPHOTOGRAPHY
The announcement emphasised the scale of the tagging initiative, which Mr Irwin called a “groundbreaking study.”
The crocodile bearing the royal name will be monitored over the coming decade, with researchers gathering valuable data on its dietary habits, diving capabilities, and the impact of climate change on its body temperature.
Mr Irwin’s connection to the Prince of Wales extends beyond today’s gesture. He serves as an ambassador for the Earthshot Prize, the prince’s flagship environmental competition now at the halfway point of its 10-year mission to identify and celebrate innovative solutions for safeguarding the planet.
The reptile, now dubbed Prince William, represents a significant achievement in Australian wildlife research
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INSTAGRAM: @ROBERTIRWINPHOTOGRAPHY
Earlier this year, William arrived at the Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly in Guildhall London, with Mr Irwin, aboard London’s 3,000th zero-emission electric bus.
At the event, William declared that he feels “more optimistic than ever” about the state of environmental action.
Since the initiative launched in 2020, the Earthshot Prize has received nearly 7,000 nominations from across the globe.
The organisation has backed 75 finalists and distributed £25million in prize funding over that period.
Earlier this year, William arrived at the Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly in Guildhall London, with Mr Irwin, aboard London’s 3,000th zero-emission electric bus
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GETTYThe 2026 Earthshot Prize is due to be held in Mumbai, India, this November.
It has been suggested that the Princess of Wales could be preparing to return to the international stage alongside her husband in India – potentially marking the couple’s first joint international trip since the princess underwent treatment for cancer, after being diagnosed in 2024.
But Mr Irwin’s royal connections run even deeper than William. In May, the conservationist revealed that Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight, had helped to name a new kangaroo that had joined Australia Zoo.
The young eastern grey kangaroo joey was christened Cwtch, a Welsh term meaning “cuddle”, with Mr Irwin announcing: “I am very proud to announce that my friends, the Wales family, helped us to name our beautiful new Joey.”