Bindi Irwin, the daughter of late wildlife expert Steve Irwin (a.k.a. The Crocodile Hunter), took to Instagram today to share a touching tribute to her father.
The 18-year-old conservationist posted a photo of the legendary Crocodile Hunter on what would have been her father’s 55th birthday.
“Always in our hearts,” she captioned a picture of Steve wearing khakis and smiling face-to-face with a bird.
READ MORE: Bindi Irwin pays tribute to her late father on 18th birthday
On her 18th birthday, the Dancing With the Stars winner posted a tribute photo of herself as a newborn, being held by her father and flanked by her mother, Terri.
Bindi frequently posts images with her father, who she calls her “superhero.”
READ MORE: Bindi Irwin breaks down during emotional tribute to her late father
In Nov. 2015, Bindi dedicated her dance routine to her dad in the first part of the Dancing With the Stars 2015 season finale.
She and her partner, Derek Hough, honoured Steve’s memory to the song Footprints in the Sand.
Before the performance, Bindi announced that it was never easy to reflect on her father and his legacy.
“I never really talked about everything that I felt when Dad passed away, and I never thought I’d revisit that,” Bindi said. “But to have Derek there to say, ‘It’s OK, I’m there for you,’ was something that I was so grateful for. Sometimes during rehearsals it feels like there’s three people in the room. And I do feel like Dad is still with me, every day.”
READ MORE: Read Steve Irwin’s touching letter to his parents, found years after his death
Bindi and her brother Robert have been following in their father’s footsteps, working with animals at the family-owned Australia Zoo.
Last November, the Irwin family gathered at the zoo to celebrate Steve Irwin Day alongside some reptiles, and Bindi took to Instagram to share a heartfelt post.
“Encouraging everyone to wear a touch of khaki on this amazing day to remember all that Dad did for our world, inspiring us all to love wildlife and wild places. Thank you,” she wrote.
READ MORE: ‘Crocodile Hunter’ Steve Irwin’s last words were ‘I’m dying,’ reveals cameraman
Last week, Robert, 13, stopped by The Tonight Show to share memories of his father and show off his own animal expertise.
Dressed in his Irwin-esque khaki shorts and shirt, Robert introduced Jimmy Fallon to many live animals, including a dwarf crocodile, an armadillo, a sloth and a large boa.
When Fallon said, “It’s so cool to see you like this, you’re actually your Dad,” Robert replied, “My Dad was actually on the Tonight Show quite a while ago, so it’s really nice to be able to follow in his footsteps.”
Bindi also commented on the similarities, tweeting a comparison photo of the two.
She wrote, “Tears in my eyes. So proud of Robert tonight. Robert, you are more and more like Dad every day. I’m forever thankful to be your sister.”
Bindi has followed in her father’s footsteps by helping to contribute to wildlife preservation and conservation. She donates 10 per cent of all her earnings to Wildlife Warriors, a charity founded by her family in 2002.
In October 2014, Bindi was awarded Young Conservationist of the Year by the Australian Geographic Society.
Steve Irwin was working on a documentary series titled Ocean’s Deadliest when he was stung by a stingray off the coast of northern Australia and died on Sept. 4, 2006.
With files from Chris Jancelewicz
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