The first ever snow leopard cub to be born at Chester Zoo in its 94-year history has been captured on hidden cameras.
And we seriously can’t cope with how cute it is.
After arriving to first-time parents Nubra and Yashin, who are both three-years-old, on last month (10 June 2025), keepers at Chester Zoo say mum and cub have since spent time quietly tucked away in a cosy den, away from the eyes of the onlooking public – but thankfully, all of their adorable early moments have been caught on the zoo’s den cams.
Carnivore experts at the zoo say Nubra is showing ‘excellent maternal instincts’ by nursing her new arrival every few hours and always keeping close by, only leaving the den momentarily to feed.
Now, at six-weeks-old, the cub has gained in strength and confidence, and experts say they could start to venture outside at ‘any moment.’
Zookeepers say they will confirm the sex of the cub at a later date once it has undergone its first health check-up with the vets.
Snow leopards are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and it’s believed that there are as few as 4,000 now remaining in the wild.
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Nicknamed the ‘ghosts of the mountains’, these elusive – but adorable – big cats are found in the rugged, remote regions of Central Asia and the Himalayas, but sadly, despite being known for living in desolate, harsh environments, they continue to face threats from habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and retaliatory killings by farmers.
The cub’s birth follows the opening of Chester Zoo’s Himalayan habitat in May 2024, which is a vast, rocky environment that authentically recreates the mountainous terrain of Central Asia.
Hidden cameras have captured adorbal footage of Chester Zoo’s first ever snow leopard cub / Credit: Chester Zoo
“This is the first snow leopard cub to be born at Chester Zoo,” commented Dave Hall, who is the Team Manager of carnivores at Chester Zoo.
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“It’s a truly historic moment and a real cause for celebration – not just for our teams here, but also for the future of this magnificent species globally.
“The cub is now just six-weeks-old AND it’s still really early days, but new mum Nubra has taken to motherhood brilliantly and is showing excellent maternal instincts. This is her first cub and she’s doing an exceptional job of caring for her little one.
“Since the cub was born, our carnivore team has kept the den area nice and peaceful and stayed well away, instead using CCTV cameras to monitor the cub’s development.
“It’s just fantastic to see the cub growing stronger and more confident each day, and what’s really exciting is that it could decide to follow mum Nubra outside at any moment to start exploring the outside world.”
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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AO Arena are hosting an ‘Evening 4’ Ricky Hatton in memory of the legendary Manchester boxer
Danny Jones
Manchester is set to host a night of remembrance and celebration in honour of the late, great, local boxer, Ricky Hatton.
Coming this summer, the AO Arena – where Hatton enjoyed so many of his iconic moments – will be holding the first-ever ‘Evening4Ricky’ later this year.
Held at the legendary sports and live entertainment venue just in time for summer, we still know very little about what the actual event will entail.
Sharing the news on social media, AO Arena said: “Join us for an unforgettable night of entertainment as Manchester comes together for Evening4Ricky.
“This will be a spectacular, unique celebration of the life, spirit and legacy of one of the city’s most beloved icons – Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton.”
With seats priced at £25, fans are being encouraged to join the early bird sign-up to secure access to discounted tickets.
They go on to add: “Hosted at the legendary AO Arena, home to so many of Ricky’s big fights, featuring a superstar cast of legends from the worlds of boxing, music, comedy and entertainment.”
So, we do at least know there’ll be some famous faces coming along to help make it a memorable Manc moment, just a few months on from the city and beyond uniting for his public funeral procession.
Ricky was beloved not only by the Greater Manchester community but was a popular figure and friend to many in the sporting and showbiz industries.
The homegrown ‘Pride of Hyde‘ tragically left us on 14 September 2025 at the age of just 46, but his passing has once again helped reassert the importance of having more conversations around wellbeing, suicide prevention, and most specifically, men’s mental health.
You can find more information and see how to grab tickets right HERE.
This isn’t the only charitable in memoriam event happening across the region in the coming weeks, either, as Mancs will be gathering to pay tribute to another fellow inspiring sportsman.
Printworks’ Vue cinema is the latest to get a comfort upgrade with new ‘Ultra Lux’ seats
Emily Sergeant
Cinephiles across Manchester are now able to enjoy the latest movie releases in ultimate comfort.
If you hadn’t already heard, over at the popularMediaCity Vue cinema complex, 75 brand-new ‘Ultra Lux’ seats were installed across seven screensat the end of last year, offering film fans what is, quite literally, the chance to sit in the best seats in the house.
And now,Printworks is getting in on the action as well, as a whopping 163 new ‘Ultra Lux’ seats have now been installed at Vue Manchester Printworks too.
Each seat provides the very-best view of the big screen and comes with a host of premium features.
Some of these exciting premium features include extra-wide armrests, a personal table forsnacks and drinks, your very-own beverage cooler – which is ideal for films with a particularly long run-time – and even backs and legs that recline independently, so you can find the most relaxing viewing position possible.
Ultra Lux seats have arrived at Vue Manchester Printworks / Credit: Vue Gallery / Supplied
Vue currently has 93 state-of-the-art cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland, totalling more than 850 screens – and Vue Manchester Printworks is the latest to benefit from upgraded seating.
This means that anyone heading to thecinema to see some of the latest and upcoming releases like Project Hail Mary, The Drama, Hoppers, Scream 7, How To Make a Killing, and so many more, can experience comfort like never before.
“We’ve invested in bringing Vue’s premium seating to our venues and can’t wait for customers to enjoy an even more comfortable cinema experience on their next visit,” commented Brodie Lyons, who is the Area Manager for the two Vue venues in Manchester.
“It’s truly the best way to immerse yourself in a film.”
Tickets for screenings at Vue Manchester Printworks and Vue Quayside Manchester start from £7.99, with upgrades to Ultra Lux available on selected tickets.