Steve Irwin's crocodile stunt draws Aussie ire

BRISBANE, Australia -- "Crocodile hunter" Steve Irwin's latest stunt -- hand feeding a large crocodile while holding his infant son -- drew fire from viewers Saturday, a visit by police and the promise of a government investigation.

Before a crowd of onlookers at his reptile park in Beerwah, north of Brisbane, Irwin on Friday cradled his month-old son, Robert, under one arm and dangled a piece of chicken from the other hand in front of a 13-foot crocodile.

The croc quickly snapped up the meat.

"Good boy, Bob," Irwin said once the crocodile's jaws snapped shut, according to the tabloid Herald Sun.

The moment was also captured by Channel 7 and Channel 10, with viewers later jamming phone lines to express outrage at Irwin's actions, media reports said.

The stunt drew comparisons with singer Michael Jackson handling of his infant son in Berlin in November 2002. The newspaper The Australian called Irwin's "a bizarre act" that mirrored Michael Jackson's "dangling of his newborn over a balcony."

Irwin defended his actions.

"I was in complete control of the crocodile. Robert was tucked right in my arm," said Irwin, the Herald Sun reported.

Police officers went to the zoo to tell Irwin that people were objecting to the incident, but said he had not committed a criminal offense, local media reported.