Did you know that this turtle was discovered by the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin?

This species was first discovered in the early 1990s by Steve Irwin, the late Crocodile Hunter, and his father, Bob Irwin. The first specimen was then collected and described by Australian herpetologist John Cann, who named it Elseya irwini after its discoverers. There is still very little known about this species, and biologists today are working on both collecting more of these turtles and observing them in their natural habitat to learn more about their behavior.

Outside of Australia, the only place you can see this turtle is the National Aquarium.

Learn more about Irwin’s snapping turtle!