A 12ft saltwater crocodile has been named in honour of the Prince of Wales by conservationist Robert Irwin, acknowledging the future king’s ongoing commitment to wildlife protection.
The reptile, called Prince William, is the 300th crocodile tagged as part of an extensive research project conducted at the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve in Australia..
Irwin, the son of the late conservationist Steve Irwin, introduced the "big boy" and "modern-day dinosaur" crocodile on Instagram, saying: "This is all for the conservation of crocodiles and over the years we have caught 300 crocs in this groundbreaking study."
He added: “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. Here he is.”
The crocodile will be tracked for the next 10 years, providing data about what he eats, how long he can dive and how climate change affects his its body temperature.
TV presenter Irwin, who manages Australia Zoo in Queensland, is an ambassador for William’s Earthshot Prize, the environmental competition which is halfway through its decade-long cycle to recognise and reward ideas to help save the planet.
Irwin has previously spoken about his friendship with the Prince of Wales, describing him as a "down-to-earth human being".
Appearing on This Morning in June this year, Irwin stated he has "become best mates with our future King".
He shared an anecdote about Prince William calling him during Dancing With The Stars rehearsals to wish him luck. He also humorously told hosts Cat Deely and Ben Shephard that he has Prince William's number "on speed dial".
