Irwin said his company Best Picture Show was under government investigation for a possible breach of wildlife laws after he swam with two giant humpback whales and penguins while filming a documentary on Antarctica in February.

He denied unspecified allegations that he had ridden on the back of a whale while in the water to film the animals.

Interacting too closely with Antarctic wildlife is banned under Australian wildlife legislation, attracting fines of up to one million dollarsor two years in jail.

But the unrepentant TV star dismissed the latest furore as "just a big storm in a tea cup", saying he was being investigated over a misunderstanding and had just been "bobbing around" in the ocean when the whales went to him.

Parliamentary environment secretary Sharman Stone said the Australian Antarctic Division has demanded an urgent copy of the film, due to be screened in the United States next month.

Its attention was drawn to the documentary by the promotional material for the hour-long Ice Breaker program which says: "He slides down hillsides with penguins, almost rubs noses with the notoriously dangerous leopard seals and spends the most inspiring time with two friendly humpback whales."

But Irwin told the Nine Network that the two humpback whales approached him and his boat while he was sitting on an iceberg.

He said that after returning to the boat, the whales stayed with it for more than two hours.

"This big ship was coming past... They saw it from a mile or half a mile away ... they thought that I was riding a whale, which is absolutely ludicrous," he said.

He said he did not believe he had breached any wildlife laws.

"Not if the whales approach you. We were just bobbing around in the ocean and the whales came up and swam around me," he said.

"I don't think that's banned at all, as far as I know. I'm well within my legal limits to do that."

Irwin said he had permission to film in Antarctica and that Australian environmental authorities had seen the film and had approved it.

Stone confirmed Irwin's company was granted approval to film whales, but said the permit would not have allowed Irwin to jump in and pat the animals.

The rules stipulate that visitors must stay between five and 30 metres (yards) from seals and penguins, depending on breeding and nesting circumstances. Swimming with whales is banned.

TERRA.WIRE