The conventional wisdom states that if you encounter a bear in the woods, you should play dead in the hopes that it loses interest. Don’t run, don’t try to fight it, and whatever you do, don’t show off your gorgeous hair. Or maybe do. It may depend on the bear.

One woman is being praised for her ability to stay calm when a bear got curious and sniffed her hair. In a video that went viral, she can be seen standing deathly still while the bear got unbearably close, perhaps enthralled by her coconut-scented conditioner. God knows I have a hard time resisting that! (No joke: I would literally drink it out of the bottle!)

There are multiple videos of the encounter showing different vantage points as the bear approaches and the woman attempts to stand still as it sniffs her hair and body and prods at her legs.

Bravo to this woman👏 could you stand still? pic.twitter.com/xVRUWdwFO9

— Arlong (@ramseyboltin) July 19, 2020

In one video, you can see the woman attempting to take a selfie with the bear, so she’s obviously a Millennial.

Here’s another angle where you can see her taking the selfie. Hero. pic.twitter.com/uSWdLVrJPU

— Rafa (@RafaElorduy) July 19, 2020

Oh, did you want to see the resulting selfie?

pic.twitter.com/IuLacc67Rw

— MARCELO FERNANDEZ (@CHELOFDZ) July 20, 2020

YIKES.

Kudos to this woman for somehow staying calm, but also WTF ARE YOU DOING TAKING A SELFIE WHILE A BEAR DECIDES IF IT WANTS TO SLICE OPEN YOUR BODY AND EAT YOUR ENTRAILS?

Anyway, it was all worth it, as the videos have been seen millions of times and she and the bear are now engaged to be married.

The Irwin family has held a special place in our hearts for over a decade, and now that Bindi Irwin and her husband Chandler are expecting their first child, we have to make a little more room. Bindi has been extremely open with her fans over the years, excitedly sharing updates about her family and her own life. She has shown time and time again her dedication to keeping her dad’s memory alive, inviting the world to celebrate the life of our favorite Crocodile Hunter along with her.

After marrying her long-time boyfriend Chandler Powell in March, the ecstatic couple announced in early August that they were expecting their first child. Bindi expressed the excitement of finding out she was going to become a mother, captioning a photo with the couple’s reflection on their newfound future-parent status. “It is such a blessing knowing that this tiny person has chosen us as parents,” she continued. “Our baby Wildlife Warrior is going to be so very loved by our families and entire Australia Zoo team. I can’t wait to find out what this amazing new soul loves in life, and experience the world all over again through their eyes.”

Chandler frequents the comment section of Bindi’s photos, expressing his love and support for Bindi as well as his excitement about becoming a first-time dad. “And we already love our little Wildlife Warrior with all of our hearts,” he chimed in. So do we, Chandler. So do we.

 

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Reflecting on when we found out that we are going to be parents. ❤️ Discovering that I was going to become a mother will forever be a moment where time stood still. I took a test and ran into the kitchen where Chandler was making us tea. He didn’t hear me come in so I speechlessly watched him pouring the water into my most loved hedgehog mug. This news would change the course of our future in the best way. I started crying tears of pure joy and told my sweetheart husband that my test was positive. We were beaming while our adorable puppy Piggy sat on our feet wondering what was going on. It reminded me of just how perceptive animals are. We sat together with tea talking about the future and how we were going to share such wonderful, life changing news with the people that we love. In that short span of time the gorgeous baby I’m carrying became the most important part of our lives. It is such a blessing knowing that this tiny person has chosen us as parents. Our baby Wildlife Warrior is going to be so very loved by our families and entire Australia Zoo team. I can’t wait to find out what this amazing new soul loves in life, and experience the world all over again through their eyes.

A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin) on Sep 1, 2020 at 3:50pm PDT

Bindi posted the adorable pregnancy announcement on Instagram with a photo of her and Chandler sporting matching khaki shirts, holding a much smaller matching khaki between them. Bindi stated, “Though I’m still in my first trimester, we really want you to be part of our journey from the beginning of this new life chapter,” she continued. “We couldn’t wait to share the news as this beautiful little being has become the most important part of our lives. Your support means the world to us.”

 

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Baby Wildlife Warrior due 2021. Chandler and I are proud to announce that we’re expecting! It’s an honour to share this special moment in our lives with you. Though I’m still in my first trimester, we really want you to be part of our journey from the beginning of this new life chapter. We couldn’t wait to share the news as this beautiful little being has become the most important part of our lives. Your support means the world to us. Please let me know your best advice and send good vibes & prayers to our little sweetheart. Love & light. ❤️

A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin) on Aug 11, 2020 at 2:56am PDT

Well, just a month later, Bindi is keeping true to her word. The 22-year-old conservationist took to Instagram once again to remind her fans that they are an appreciated part of her journey to motherhood.

Bindi shared, “The animal joeys we care for are excited to meet our human joey. Baby Wildlife Warrior is about the size of a hummingbird now!” Bindi continued, “We can’t wait to teach our little one about the importance of protecting our planet and the beauty of the wildlife and wild places we love so much. Thank you for your kindness and support on this magical journey.”

 

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The animal joeys we care for are excited to meet our human joey. ❤️ Baby Wildlife Warrior is about about the size of a hummingbird now! We can’t wait to teach our little one about the importance of protecting our planet and the beauty of the wildlife and wild places we love so much. Thank you for your kindness and support on this magical journey.

A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin) on Sep 12, 2020 at 1:03pm PDT

Steve Irwin shared his life, his love of animals, and his larger-than-life personality with the world – though he has some very large Timberland boots to fill, Bindi is stepping up and absolutely crushing it. It was far more than just Steve Irwin’s almost tangible passion for animals that made the world fall in love with him, it was also his openness and his enormous heart. Bindi is doing an incredible job following in her dad’s impressive footsteps – from her passion for conservation to her openness and kindheartedness, she is most definitely making Steve Irwin a proud dad. And soon, a proud grandpa.

In pre-pandemic times, every trip to the park could mean a brand new best friend for one of our kids. In 15 seconds, kids can go from strangers to inseparable – all it takes is finding something in common. Whether it’s a favorite TV show or the fact that they happen to be wearing the same shirt, no commonality is too small. Recently, a 2-year-old named Bentley Boyers found his new best friend in an unlikely place after realizing that they both had a cleft lip. Unlike many newfound friends though, Bentley was fortunate enough to be able to take his new best bud home with him. In fact, she became a full-fledged member of the Boyers family when they adopted her from the Jackson County Animal Shelter.

Bentley’s dad Brandon hadn’t even planned on adopting a dog when he visited the shelter last week. In fact, he was there to adopt two chickens when in a moment of serendipity, a very special puppy caught his eye.

Ashley Boyers, Bentley’s mom, told WBTV, “He Facetimed me. He goes, ‘I think this one has a cleft lip,’ and I said, ‘Get her!’ We need her!”

As a baby, Bentley had more struggles than most. His parents had to hold his lips together while he ate, as Bentley was unable to keep the food in his mouth on his own. At two years old, this brave toddler has undergone two surgeries. He continues to grow stronger and more self-sufficient, but Bentley has not yet hit the age where children really start to notice ways in which they’re different from their peers. That, in part, is why it’s so important that the new pup came into the family’s life when she did.

Bentley’s mom explained, “To see him have something in common with a puppy means a lot ’cause he can grow up and understand that he and his puppy both have something that they can share in common.”

Even during times where Bentley may feel different from his peers (as we all do growing up), he will be able to go home to his best friend, who not only loves him unconditionally but reminds him that he’s not alone. He’ll be able to look at his furry companion and see that her own cleft lip doesn’t slow her down, a constant reminder of his own perseverance.

It takes some of us a lifetime to find a perfect companion, but it only took Bentley two short years to find his furever best friend. Now, the adorable pair can grow up together – experiencing life’s greatest joys and biggest challenges, side by side.

Busch Beer is changing the drinking game with its latest beer. Every beer company says that these days, but this actually has some merit. The biggest change? It’s not for you. Specifically, not even for humans. It’s a beer for dogs, and it’s going to make your pup your new drinking bud.

Dogs have cemented their status as man’s best friend over the years, yet they continue to renew their commitment on the reg. Like the family dog that kept a missing 3-year-old safe. Or the dog that saved the day when an autistic toddler wandered from home. It’s just science that dogs > cats and the rest of the animal world when it comes to pets. And now we can take that relationship to the next level.

Introducing The Nectar Of The DOGS!#BuschDogBrew is bone broth full of dog-friendly flavors and nutrients. Go to the link in our bio to grab a pack for your favorite drinking buddy 🐶! pic.twitter.com/tWA20ys8at

— Busch Beer (@BuschBeer) August 26, 2020

Busch announced their Dog Brew on National Dog Day. It’s got no alcohol and no hops, but your dog will think its tasty since it’s bone broth full of dog-friendly flavors and nutrients. They are sold in 12 oz. cans, so you now enjoy a beer with better company than some of the usual crew.

The product is sold online in 4-packs, and Busch is donating $1 from each case to the Best Friends Animal Society, to help support dogs in need of homes. A CIP from Anheuser-Busch said a Busch is best enjoyed with your best friend, which is why they made a dog beer.

“After a long day there’s nothing quite like having a Busch with a friend, and with so many new pet owners across America this year, we wanted to create a brew to give our fans a chance to share a Busch brew with their ‘best friend,’” he said in a press release.

Now that you can enjoy a round with your pup, you’ll never have to force small talk about the weather or pretend to care about a stranger’s fantasy football team ever again.

14 years ago, we lost one of the most original TV personalities and animal activists when the legendary Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin passed. On the anniversary of his 2006 death from a stingray attack, his daughter Bindi, son Robert, and wife Terri all posted moving tributes to the wildlife and conservationist icon.

Bindi Irwin, who has been in the news recently as she’s expecting her first child of her own, posted a sweet photo on Instagram of her with her dad.  Bindi, who was just 8 when her dad died tragically, simply captioned the photo “You’re always in my heart.”

 

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You’re always in my heart.

A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin) on Sep 4, 2020 at 4:05pm PDT

While Bindi has helped continue Steve’s work, Irwin’s son Robert has done even more. In fact, he even bears a striking resemblance to young pics of Steve, even one with the exact same croc. He posted a tribute to his dad by posting a pic of him with a croc from the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve. He wrote that he’s continuing the work of his dad and gave an update on the yearly crocodile research trip, something his dad started 17 years ago. He continues his dad’s conservation work, writing “Today we get to keep this vital work going, using state of the art solar tracking technology to learn even more about these amazing animals make sure Dad’s mission and passion for croc conservation continues!”

 

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Today marks the end of our annual crocodile research trip to the #SteveIrwinWildlifeReserve. Over the last month we caught 39 crocodiles, from ‘Ryan’ who tied for being the largest croc in the system at over 15 feet long to little ‘Pingu’ at just under 3 feet. This year brought the total crocs tagged to 213 in the study. This research was all started by Dad and to this day we still use the same methods of capture that he created. Our crocodile research began 17 years ago when Australia Zoo joined forces with the University of Queensland to conduct world leading science and lead the charge in crocodile conservation. And today we get to keep this vital work going, using state of the art solar tracking technology to learn even more about these amazing animals make sure Dad’s mission and passion for croc conservation continues! 🐊

A post shared by Robert Irwin (@robertirwinphotography) on Sep 4, 2020 at 3:53am PDT

Steve’s wife Terri posted a touching photo of her and Steve, adorned with an iguana on their heads. Her caption is a brief but heartening reflection on how to process the loss of a loved one, a loss that is felt every day. She wrote: “I feel that I have a choice: celebrate love or struggle with grief. I choose love.”

This is a particularly poignant moment in time for me. Today marks 14 years since I lost Steve, after 14 wonderful years of marriage. I feel that I have a choice: celebrate love or struggle with grief. I choose love. pic.twitter.com/UudW9n0cHb

— Terri Irwin (@TerriIrwin) September 4, 2020

That’s a great approach and outlook on loss. Celebrate love, by keeping alive the memory of people who made your world a brighter place. It’s a testament to Irwin’s legacy that his work echoes through his loved ones, and his passion continues to make a difference in the animal world to this day.

For years, we’ve been told time and time again that dogs are man’s best friend. But nobody seems to be talking about the fact that dogs are EVERYONE’S best friend (aside from those with severe allergies, but much like when you’re trying to figure out how much pizza to order, the ones who are allergic don’t count). Dogs will do just about anything for us, even when we have little more to give than food and head scratches. In return for our meager offering, dogs will love and protect us for as long as they possibly can. Heck, dogs are even happy to help strangers, reminding us that we could all stand to learn something from our furry friends. Recently, a 6-year-old named Memphis Rose experienced firsthand just how transformative the love of a pup can be.

On July 7, everything changed for Memphis Rose. While in the car with her grandmother and great uncle, the family was in a horrific head-on collision in western Palm Beach County, Florida. Her great uncle tragically passed away, and her grandmother’s knee was shattered. Memphis, who was seated directly behind the driver, suffered multiple injuries including a punctured lung, a fractured spine, and a displaced and fractured neck.

Gayrene Meade, Memphis Rose’s mother, was faced with every parent’s worst nightmare. Upon impact, her little girl went into cardiac arrest. By some miracle, a doctor was on scene and able to administer CPR until the 6-year-old was transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center. It was there that Meade was able to speak with a neurosurgeon, who explained that her happy little girl – the same girl who just yesterday was running, jumping, and playing without a care in the world – may be paralyzed.

Memphis Rose remained in the hospital for weeks after the accident, pushing through a difficult spinal surgery and slowly being weaned off her medications. Though she is still on a ventilator, Memphis Rose’s fierce determination to one day walk again is helping her remain strong.

Memphis, who wants to become a veterinarian one day, recently received some much-needed good news thanks to Chasin a Dream Foundation founder Lori Griffith. Griffith has made it her mission to help local kids with life-threatening diseases, and Memphis Rose was next on her list. Upon learning how badly the 6-year-old had wanted a dog, Griffith contacted a nearby rescue and set her heartwarming plan into motion.

On July 27, a very special visitor named Juliet came to see Memphis at the hospital. Juliet, a golden retriever puppy, was just as excited to see Memphis as the little girl was to see her.

“Juliet took one look at Memphis Rose in her wheelchair and jumped onto her lap licking her and cuddling,” Memphis’s mom told People.

As if the welcome distraction of a playful pup wasn’t enough good news for the day, Memphis found out that this sweet ball of fluff – this tiny golden puppy who looked past her wheelchair and her neck brace, seeing only a human to love – was hers. Not only as a companion but as a service dog.

Juliet works rigorously with dog trainer Summit Earhart every single day, learning the ins and outs of being a service animal before going to live with Memphis permanently in roughly a year. Memphis and Juliet have had several picture-perfect visits since their initial meeting, with Juliet even accompanying the 6-year-old on a flight to another hospital for spinal rehabilitation.

Brave and determined Memphis Rose has a long road ahead of her. She’ll work through different therapies, take a variety of medications, and learn to live in a completely different way than she had before her accident. While Memphis is working though, so is Juliet. And soon enough, the two will be together. Although life will undoubtedly look different than anyone could have anticipated, with the help of Juliet, it’s going to be nothing short of pawsome.

Time and time again, we are reminded that we simply do not deserve dogs. They protect us, love us unconditionally, and even fight off sharks so they can continue living every day with their humans. It’s no secret that dogs will do just about anything for their people, and they really don’t ask for much in return. Some head scratches a few table scraps every once in a while, a small price to pay for their undying loyalty and affection.

The adults who feed and care for them aren’t the only ones on the receiving end of a dog’s devotion. Parents, children, friends that are over so frequently they should probably be paying rent – the entire household is the family dog’s pack, and the drive to protect each and every member is in their blood. Recently, one Wisconsin dog’s loyalty was put to the test, and they absolutely nailed (clawed?) it.

Around 6:45 PM Sunday, 3-year-old Abigail Ladwig from Wisconsin wandered out of her house tailing her family’s Cocker Spaniel mix, Peanut. As soon as her mom realized Abigail was nowhere to be found, she reported the toddler missing. Every parent’s worst nightmare became a reality as hundreds of volunteers showed up to search for Abigail and offer their support.

The Department of Natural Resources led the search, and in just over 24 hours, Abigail was found near the woods not far from her home. How does a 3-year-old survive 24 hours in the woods with nothing more than some scratches and bug bites? Well, because Peanut didn’t leave her side. This committed canine stayed with Abigail until she was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment. Any dog owner knows that it doesn’t take much more than the promise of food to make a dog take off running, but Peanut knew there were more important things at stake.

Pat Sanchez, a Sawyer County Search and Rescue coordinator said in a statement, “Thank you to all responders, volunteers who came out to search for Abby and the donations of food and water. It’s amazing how in times of need, we all come together for such an amazing outcome.”

And a hound of applause to Peanut, who made sure Abigail was safe during the entirety of her unintentional adventure. You’re the real MVP (most valuable pupper).

If there’s one small victory in 2020 it’s that dads have been kicking shark ass whenever they’ve made an ill-advised decision to attack. A few weeks ago, a dad rescued his son from a shark attack by jumping in the water. With that recent dad vs shark victory, I couldn’t think of a better time to show my 9-year-old Jaws. Needless to say, he’s suddenly become a lot more anxious about visiting the beach, despite my assurances that it’s only a movie and my expert advice that if a shark ever approaches him, he should punch it in the nose. He was skeptical about that last part until I showed him this story from last week.

While doing some surfing down under, at Shelly Beach at Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Mark Rapley and his wife Chantelle Doyle had an encounter with a great white shark. It wasn’t quite as big as Steven Spielberg’s Bruce (that was the name of the mechanical shark used to film the classic blockbuster), it was described as 6 to 10 feet long. Not exactly a minnow.

The shark attacked Doyle and knocked her off her surfboard, at which point Rapley tried to get to his wife’s board and help her back on when the shark bit into her right calf. Rapley grabbed a hold of her surfboard for leverage and began punching the shark, eventually forcing it to let go and swim away.

“When you see the mother of your child, and your support, everything that’s who you are, so you just react,” he told Today. “Your body reacts to saying get off, get off. So you start punching it, you start thinking amazingly where to punch it and so you’re like, ‘I’ll just attack the eye,’ or whatever. You just start thinking differently.”

They mad it to shore and Doyle was airlifted to the hospital for surgery.

“She is in pretty good spirits, still strong and hopefully all fine from here, but a long road to recovery,” Rapley said.

Watch the story:

The first day of a new job is a test of sorts. Not only do you get a sense of whether the workplace is a good fit, but your boss immediately begins to gauge how well you’re able to complete assigned tasks. Of course, there’s a huge learning curve with any new job and almost nobody is immediately successful in a brand new role. Fortunately for a mother and her one-year-old in the UK, a rookie police dog named Max is a rare breed – on his very first day, he was able to locate the missing mom and baby and help bring them to safety. It’s yet another amazing story of a police dog saving the day (although family dogs are heroes too.)

The mother and baby had been missing for two days, and concern for their well-being grew higher with every passing minute. In a press release, inspector Jonathan Rees-Jones stated, “Thanks to excellent work between teams, the woman’s car was quickly found on a mountain road. Although this gave officers a location to search from, there was still a vast area to cover given the amount of time she had been missing.”

On Saturday, the mother’s car was located and Max was called in for his very first shift with the Dyfed-Powys Police Department. Max has been trained as a tracking dog, and although he has practiced endlessly for this moment, there was no telling how his very first mission would go. With potentially two full days between when the mom and baby left the car and the start of the search and rescue mission, there was no telling how far the pair could have wandered. Mid-day Saturday, Max and his handler Police Constable Peter Lloyd began their search.

Incredibly, after just an hour and a half, Max successfully completed his first mission. Pulling his handler in the right direction, Loyd breathed a sigh of relief as he spotted the missing woman. Mom and baby were cold, but otherwise unharmed.

“I must give a special mention to PC Pete Lloyd and Max,” Rees-Jones said, “who on their very first day since completing their training together covered a significant amount of mileage in the search, eventually locating them safe.”

A round of appaws for the hero of the hour, Max the police dog. Hopefully, this is the first of many successful searches.

We’ve all been spending an enormous amount of time at home lately, and you’re probably realizing that things could use a little sprucing up. Maybe it’s finally time to plant that garden, refinish your wood floors, build a dinosaur playground or perhaps get that life-size dino your yard has been desperately lacking. If you find yourself in a dinosaur deficit, we have some fantastic news for you. On August 6th at 9:30 AM PDT, a Canadian company called Able Auctions will be auctioning off nearly 80 of the animatronic creatures, some reaching gargantuan sizes of over 70 feet.

Though the bidding will take place online, you’ll still need to pick up your Jurassic loot – so this may be a good time to call in a favor from a dozen or so of your closest friends (maybe the promise of pizza would help, or the promise that each friend could take turns eating said pizza on the back of a dinosaur? Just a thought). If the dinosaurs aren’t enough for you, there are more prehistoric relics for the taking.

Jeremy Dodd, CEO of Able Auctions told the Vancouver Sun, “There’s just about every type of dinosaur. We also have a whole pile of authentic and original fossils and all the equipment that’s related to putting on a show like this.”

The dinosaurs and fossils were once part of an exhibit that traveled to museums and other tourist attractions around the world to showcase the collection, however, the company suffered financial trouble and ultimately filed for bankruptcy (which is absolutely insane – lugging around over 80 life-size animatronic dinosaurs seemed like such a solid business plan). Currently, the dinosaurs are sitting in the Able Auction warehouse, disassembled and packed in shipping containers like some sort of DIY Jurassic Park. Over the next couple of weeks, they will be unpacked and put together in preparation for the August 6th auction. Does anyone want to go halfsies on a T-Rex?

Do you get your dad reflexes the moment you become a dad, or do they only kick in when you really need them? Either way, Andrew Grande Sr. is extremely lucky that his were operating in full-force last Friday. On a seemingly ordinary day, Grande’s 4-year-old daughter Brandalyn (nicknamed Bambi) was playing by the creek near her house with her brother and babysitter. By some stroke of luck, Grande happened to be about 10 yards away when he noticed something strange.

In the middle of the generally calm creek, Grande saw something emerge from the water slightly, and then dip back down. In a split second, it clicked in the quick-thinking dad’s mind – the figure bobbing up and down in the water was an alligator, and its gaze was locked on his 4-year-old. Without hesitation, Grande dropped what he was doing and sped towards his daughter.

Robin Randolph, the family’s babysitter, described the frightening day to Click 2 Huston. She recalled, “(The gator) was making a bee-line for us. Andrew had knocked me into the gate. Picked up Bambi and threw her over the fence.”

While Grande went to work protecting his family, the alligator wasn’t deterred. He remained nearby, head half-submerged, likely waiting to see if anyone was left behind. It’s hard to say what would have happened if Grande hadn’t been paying attention, but thanks to his vigilance and dad-like reflexes, his kids and babysitter are safe. After several hours and boatloads of bravery, the 11 foot 7 inch alligator was relocated to Gator Country in Beaumont, Texas by an alligator hunter. Grande doesn’t harbor any ill will towards his toothy visitor. In fact, he plans to pay him a visit one day – maybe without the kids.

When most of us lose our parents, we are left to mourn with family and friends while the rest of the world moves on, seemingly unaffected. But when Bindi Irwin lost her Crocodile Hunter dad, the entire world mourned with her. If you’ve ever seen a video of Bindi and Steve Irwin together, it’s immediately apparent that they shared an incredibly special bond. From a young age, Steve shared his love of wildlife with his daughter, and Bindi happily followed in her dad’s adventurous footsteps. The Irwin family has paid much tribute to Steve since his death nearly 14 years ago, and through the beautiful and heartbreaking memories shared by the family, it’s evident that he was just as amazing of a father and husband as he was a crocodile hunter.

This week, Bindi celebrated her 22nd birthday and shared a beautiful tribute to her late father on Instagram. The video caption reads, “22 years ago my parents decided to start a family. I will forever be grateful for their unconditional love and encouragement to follow my dreams. I chose the two most compassionate, dedicated and loving people in the world to be my mum and dad. There are no words to describe the amount of love in my heart for them both.”

The video opens with Steve Irwin, just as we remember him. With the endearing enthusiasm we knew and loved him for, he recalls, “The most incredible wildlife encounter of my life was the birth of my daughter Bindi.”

The video shows heartwarming footage of Steve and Bindi through the years, as Steve continues to narrate.

“Here’s this little baby girl. I swear she just fitted right in here in the palms of my hands. It was a combination of adrenaline and just emotion,” the ecstatic new father explained, “It was like a euphoric feeling. I was in total utopia. And I ran around the hospital. ‘Look at this! Look at this!’ And they’re like: ‘Yes, we’ve got our own.’ ‘Yeah, but you haven’t got one like this one! Look at this little beauty! Look at this little beauty!’”

The Crocodile Hunter overflows with pride as he recalls his first day of fatherhood, and his contagious excitement is something every new parent can relate to. From the moment he held her in his hands (and probably before), Steve Irwin loved his daughter.

And now, 14 years after losing her dad, Bindi shared this incredible video remembering just how loved she was.

 

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22 years ago my parents decided to start a family. I will forever be grateful for their unconditional love and encouragement to follow my dreams. I chose the two most compassionate, dedicated and loving people in the world to be my mum and dad. There are no words to describe the amount of love in my heart for them both. ❤️

A post shared by Bindi Irwin (@bindisueirwin) on Jul 23, 2020 at 2:57pm PDT

As dads, having to think on your feet to keep your kid out of trouble is vital. Whether it’s pulling them back from stepping into the street right when a car is coming, or catching them at the last second when they are about to fall off the back of a couch, that moment requiring dad reflexes is inevitable.

You might even have to punch a shark. That’s the situation one dad faced last week, as he was fishing with his 10-year-old son north of Tasmania. A freaking great white shark leaped from the waters and dragged his son off the boat into the ocean. Without even hesitation, his dad, John Arnott, jumped into the water.

He was able to save the boy from the jaws of the shark, who authorities believe was spooked away by the dad jumping into the water. The boy was being treated at a local hospital for lacerations and is reportedly in stable condition. His life jacket was shredded in the incident and he suffered lacerations on his arms and head.

A bystander who assisted in providing first aid to the boy told ABC the dad was a hero.

“You wouldn’t find a better bloke than John”. Dad’s heroic actions praised after #shark attack on his 10-year-old son at #Stanley. Story @james_kitto @themercurycomau https://t.co/AQwUR7zRTx

— Cameron Whiteley (@cwhiteley12) July 18, 2020

“The father was doing an amazing job in the circumstances, it was a pretty scary situation for the family,” she said.

“The father was holding it together really well. I don’t think I would have done as good a job as he did in that situation.”

A man who witnessed the incident from a nearby boat called it a ‘very, very scary thing.’

“The father, with his natural instinct I suppose, has leapt in straight after his son and managed to grab him. Congratulations to dad. Top fella.”