Animal influencer Mike Holston hospitalized after skydiving accident: ‘Pretty banged up’

Influencer Mike Holston, who makes videos of himself interacting with wildlife, was injured during a skydiving accident.

The social media star, known as “the Real Tarzann” online, shared a post on Instagram Saturday to share that he was hospitalized. In the photo, he was lying in a gurney, with his right leg wrapped up and his neck in a brace.

“Yesterday I had a Skydiving accident I’ll probably be out for a few weeks!” he wrote in the caption. “I’m pretty banged up at the moment in some pretty good pain but just happy to be alive. I know a lot of yall want to see me down but don’t count on it too long, enjoy while you can !”

Holston shared a series of updates on his Instagram Story, featuring videos of himself in the hospital. In one clip, when he was lying down in the gurney, he was asked how bad his pain was.

“Gettin' there. Getting better,” he said. “I was f***ed up for like three hours. I couldn't even breathe. My chest was killing me.”

In the following video, he reassured fans that he was making a steady recovery.

“What's up family? Thank God all is well. They didn't get me off this Earth today, but love you all, happy holidays,” he said. “Nothing to worry about. Just another rough day in the office. I love you all. And hopefully we will see you all soon.”

The influencer has more than 16 million followers on Instagram, where he posts videos of himself interacting with different animals, like reptiles and primates. He also uses his account to promote wildlife conservation and respect for nature.

However, he sparked outrage in September when he shared a video on Instagram of himself chasing and wrestling a freshwater crocodile in Australia. At the time, an animal advocacy organization, Community Representation of Crocodiles (CROC), condemned the video on Instagram, saying Holston’s behavior was “distressing for the animal.”

“When it’s promoted on large social media platforms—without permits or authority to handle wildlife—it sets a dangerous precedent,” the organization wrote.

Bob Irwin, the father of the late Australian wildlife expert Steve Irwin, also critcized Holston’s video, saying content creators like him should be “booted out the door” if they don’t respect Australia’s wildlife.

“This isn't a Steve Irwin issue. This is about an individual illegally interfering with protected fauna,” he said in a statement, according to the BBC. “Anyone who actually knows how to handle crocodiles knows they don't respond well to capture. It's a specialised skill to do it without causing dangerous stress and lactic acid build-up – and this bloke clearly had no clue.”

However, Holston clarified in the comment of the video that the crocodile was released “after a few up-close looks and photos,” according to the BBC. He also said he didn’t “encourage anyone to try to recreate” his videos.