Robert Irwin has reportedly found a new partner in wildlife photographer Ashleigh Scully, more than two years after his split from Rorie Buckey.
Fresh off his sensational Mirrorball Trophy win on season 34 of “Dancing With The Stars,” Irwin previously lamented the difficulty he has faced trying to date, as his every move ends up being scrutinized on social media.
The 22-year-old Australian conservationist also recently revealed that he lives among the wildlife in his own quarters at Australia Zoo, adding that his “alarm clock” is the roar of tigers.
Robert Irwin appears to be off the market, as reports suggest he is now quietly dating wildlife photographer Ashleigh Scully.
According to Us Weekly, sources say Scully has been “traveling all over” with Irwin “for months,” and that they have made “some stops on the Dancing With the Stars Tour” together.
The pair first met in 2019 through their shared passion for wildlife photography, but it was not until March of this year that they sent the rumor mill into overdrive. At the time, they were seen arriving together at the production set of “DWTS: The Next Pro” in Australia, a spin-off series Irwin is hosting to scout the next generation of professional dancers, per TMZ.
Irwin And Scully Fuel Dating Rumors
Eagle-eyed fans later hinted at their romance when they noticed the pair had gone on a deep-sea scuba diving trip with fellow “DWTS” alum Dylan Efron, who became friends with Irwin on Season 34 of the show.
“Our underwater Jive is coming soon @robertirwinphotography,” Efron playfully captioned the photos on Instagram, which included a group shot of Irwin and Scully in scuba gear.
Scully is an accomplished wildlife photographer in her own right and has been practicing since she was just eight years old. She specializes in North American apex predators, birds of prey, and Arctic underwater life.
According to her official website, she grew up in New Jersey but is now based in Jackson, Wyoming.
“My photography journey has taken me all over the world, from Tanzania to British Columbia, Svalbard, Norway, and Tonga,” she writes in her bio. “I specialize in shots of bears, owls, and foxes, and have just begun my underwater photography journey!”
Robert Irwin Previously Dated Rorie Buckey
Irwin’s reported romance with Scully comes more than two years after his split from Rorie Buckey.
The pair made their red-carpet debut in July 2023 at the premiere of “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1” in Sydney.
Buckey later announced in 2024 that she and Irwin had broken up, although she did not elaborate on the cause of their split.
“We wanted to share that we have decided to go our separate ways but profoundly appreciate all of the time spent together and wish one another all the very best into the future,” Buckey wrote in an Instagram Story statement, which they both signed.
“We wish to express the gratitude and respect we have for one another as we continue on our journeys to different paths,” they added.
Irwin Previously Said Dating In The Spotlight Is Tough
Finding love with Scully did not come without its own challenges, as Irwin previously opened up about how difficult it is to date when the entire internet is watching your every move.
After emerging victorious on “Dancing With The Stars,” he gained a new level of popularity that he had not been used to before. However, he quickly realized that the attention also had a downside.
“Holy moly, that’s so challenging to navigate,” Irwin said in a recent profile with The New York Times, noting that “Anything you do will be on TikTok the next day.”
Robert Irwin Jokes He Is Like A Zoo Exhibit
Irwin also recently opened up about just how literally wild his life is, revealing that he stays in his own quarters at Australia Zoo and wakes up to tigers roaring every morning.
He made the revelation during an appearance on the “Jase, Lauren and Clint” radio show on Tuesday, June 16, sharing that tigers act as his alarm clock.”
“Seriously, like I live in the middle of it all. It’s really quite cool — My alarm clock in the morning is the tigers next door roaring,” he explained, per PEOPLE.
Host Lauren Phillips then asked him, “Do you walk around the Australia Zoo and go, ‘That’s Robert Irwin’s house?’”
“Yeah, there’s like a little fence up and glass, and you can come and watch as I have my morning coffee,” he joked, before they quipped that he is like “an exhibit” at the zoo.
