Cameras and Chester Zoo have captured the moment a rare baby giraffe made its entrance into the world this past weekend.
And it’s fair to say, he certainly burst onto the scene.
In a birth that’s unlike many others and appeared to shock the surrounding long-legged residents, Chester Zoo has shared a video of the adorable new giraffe calf falling more than 6ft onto a bed of soft straw as he arrived into the world, after 14-year-old mum, Orla, gave birth last Saturday at 2:57am – which brought to an end to a 15 month-long (473 day) pregnancy
The incredible CCTV footage also shows the moment the newborn stands up and takes his very first steps and enjoys his first feed – a moment zookeepers say is “vitally important” for the bond between mum and baby.
Chester Zoo’s giraffe team manager Sarah Roffe explained that, while it may sound unusual, this 6ft-high fall is “a really important part of the birthing process” for giraffes, as it’s what helps to break the umbilical cord and stimulate the calf to take its very first breath.
“While tiny in comparison to mum Orla, her new arrival was born already towering above us at 6ft tall and weighing a hefty 72kg,” Sarah added.
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She continued: “Following the dramatic birth, it’s vitally important that the calf gets to its feet quickly and ventures over to mum for its first feed, as it’s these precious early moments that help to cement that special bond between the two of them – and that’s exactly what occurred between Orla and her baby only minutes after his birth.
“It’s early days, but so far the calf is looking strong, healthy and very content, which is brilliant to see.”
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Keepers at the UK’s biggest charity zoo have named the new male giraffe calf Stanley after Mount Stanley, which is the tallest mountain in Uganda in Africa.
Chester Zoo cameras captured the moment a rare baby giraffe made its entrance into the world / Credit: Chester Zoo
Uganda is where the zoo’s conservationists are fighting to boost giraffe numbers.
Right across Africa, giraffes are listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – which is the world’s authority on the state of the natural world – and although Rothschild’s giraffe numbers are now increasing due to conservation efforts, fewer than 2,500 remain in East Africa.
As their habitats have been lost to make way for mining, urban development, or agricultural farming, as well as poaching for their skin, tails, or meat, Rothschild’s giraffes are now considered one of Africa’s most at-risk mammals.
However, Chester Zoo says that in some parts of Uganda – where the zoo and its partners are actively working – numbers are steadily on the rise, and it’s thanks to decades of conservation efforts.
Keepers have named the new male giraffe calf Stanley / Credit: Chester Zoo
“Having a healthy new calf on the ground here at the zoo is therefore fantastic news for the threatened species breeding programme that’s boosting numbers in conservation zoos like ours,” added Mike Jordan – Director of Animals and Plants at Chester Zoo.
“In tandem with the breeding programme, our team of giraffe experts have been helping our long term partners… to protect, monitor and, in some cases, translocate giraffes from one area of Uganda to another.
Just over two decades ago the number of giraffes in Kidepo Valley National Park was in single digits, but with these conservation efforts it’s now a protected reserve that’s home to more than 70 adult Rothschild’s giraffes, with calves being born year on year.
“This is just one of the many successful conservation stories that our charity zoo is proud to be part of and really shows that there are good people out there fighting to save species from extinction.”
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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The Traitors set to air its ‘most explosive’ episode of all time after secret traitor reveal
Emily Sergeant
The Traitors is reportedly set to air its ‘most explosive’ episode of all time this evening.
After last night’s episode (7 January) saw the ‘secret traitor’ revealed to the public, in what was a major twist for this series, fans of the massively popular BBC reality competition show will be able to tune tonight to see fireworks between contestants as tensions boil over, the Daily Star has revealed in a exclusive report.
Close sources to the show have apparently warned that the scenes set to air tonight are ‘shocking’ and ‘unlike anything seen before’ on the show.
The Daily Star’s insider has called the episode ‘very dramatic indeed’.
“It all kicks off,” the source added. “The game is in full flow and the pressure is getting to everyone. During filming, producers were quite shocked by it all.
Fiona was revealed as the ‘secret traitor’ on last night’s (7 January) episode / Credit: BBC
“Many fans will remember the explosive breakfast in the show’s first series. Well, this episode makes that look like child’s play.”
Previously, the show hit record viewing figures at the start of this year, with an average of 6.4 million people tuning in to the first episode on New Year’s Day, but overall, it’s hard to deny that The Traitors has cemented itself as one of the biggest shows on air at the moment.
Producers are reportedly hoping, however, that tonight’s (8 January) episode will cement the show’s status as one of the best reality shows in TV history.
“It’s likely it’ll go down in history as one of the best hours of reality telly ever,” the Daily Star’s insider source concluded.
The Traitors airs tonight at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
Featured Image – BBC
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‘Big John’ is bringing his ‘BOSH’ bingo to Manchester
Danny Jones
Attention, all you ‘Big John’ lovers, the man himself is coming to Manchester this year for his very own ‘BOSH Bingo’ show.
Excessively large takeaway order not included*
That’s right, ‘Big John’ Fisher has gone from being a viral sensation famous for eating shedloads of Chinese and saying that one catchphrase to hosting his very own live bingo tour.
Even by his standards, his announcement video was an eye-catching one, to say the least – and we expect the event itself to be equally hilarious.
— big john the boshfather (@Johnfis08605918) January 7, 2026
For anyone somehow unfamiliar with ‘The Boshfather’, there isn’t a single sentence that isn’t completely accurate, and that doesn’t sum up pretty much everything you need to know about the man, the myth, the legend.
Besides his son, Johnny Fisher Jr., being an aspiring boxer and fellow influencer on the side, as well as having appeared on Newsnight to talk about the UK’s multiculturalism being what makes this ‘Great Britain’ (legend), his legacy will very much be written online and on the back of a take-out menu.
Or will it?…
Riding the back of his growing popularity and being quite literally the physical representation of a British bulldog, he’s now preparing to do live shows all over the country.
Set up at the start of the New Year, the 51-year-old will be heading to Manchester city centre and more throughout 2026 for his debut BOSH Bingo tour.
Visiting 12 locations in total, he is promising “rave intervals, on stage competitions, ‘bosh’ prizes and, of course, a sprinkle of chicken balls for good measure.”
Put simply, not only the chaos of everyone’s favourite Bongo’s, “This is not your average bingo night, it’s BOSH BINGO!”
Sounds ridiculous… We’re SO there.
Coming to The Grosvenor on Oxford Road on 21 February, before heading to the likes of Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield, just to name a few, you can grab your tickets right HERE.
Let’s just say there’s some very silly but nevertheless fun and fantastic stuff happening in town this year.
Emily Sergeant -
12th August 2022 
