More happy news over at Chester Zoo as a rare giant otter has just arrived at the best zoo in the UK and, surprise, surprise, he’s a cutey.
The rare species, originally from the Guyanas to Central-North Argentina and which once spread across other parts of South America, is currently at risk of going extinct altogether but the addition of this new male otter could help bring it back from the brink.
Arriving at the end of April, this fine young fellow has now joined his new female partner, Tibiri, as part of a crucial international conservation breeding programme.
Manchester, meet Manú, Chester Zoo‘s newest and most camera-ready animal.
Manú, the rare and giant male otter, makes his Chester Zoo debut.
Zookeepers have now released the first heartwarming images of the otters meeting for the very first time, where they can be seen swimming and playing together and, judging by how loud and vocal the pair have been, it looks like they’re already getting on like a house on fire.
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With no more than 5,000 giant otters remaining across the whole of South America, conservationists are hopeful the duo will go on to have pups in the near future.
The decline in numbers is a result of mass-scale deforestation, water pollution and illegal hunting in the region. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the species as endangered back in 2020 and it’s now the job of places like Chester and other Zoos to stop them from going extinct.
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Three-year-old Manú – who travelled all the way from Budapest Zoo in Hungary – is said to have been genetically matched with Tibiri, 8, giving the species the best possible chance at a more secure future.
A handsome boy already cosying up to his new mate. (Credit: Chester Zoo)
The species, which can grow up to nearly two metres in length and 30kg in weight (the largest of all otter species, as the name would suggest) has sadly already been declared extinct in Uruguay and its ancestral home of Argentina. There are thought to be less than 5,000 left in the entire world.
But that’s where the likes of Manú and Tibir come in: they could help popular future generations of the giant otter and hopefully see them return to lakes, rivers and wetlands in numbers one day.
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Speaking on the arrival, Chester Zoo Carnivore Keeper, Anna Starkey, said: “Since arriving at the zoo only a few days ago, Manú has settled into his new surroundings very quickly… So far we’ve seen really positive signs between the two and they can be heard using a range of vocalisations while playfully swimming together, which shows us that they’ve instantly bonded.
“[They’re] apex predators in the South American ecosystems and play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of freshwater habitats. They do this by hunting prey populations, keeping the health and biodiversity of their environments in check. But sadly, the wild population feel enormous pressures from pollution and mass deforestation which continue to threaten their survival altogether.”
They’re nicknamed ‘river wolves’ for their razor-sharp teeth, muscular bodies and skilled hunting. (Credit: Supplied)
Each giant otter typically has unique markings of white or cream fur on their throat and under their chin, which allows every individual to be identified by experts.
Unusually though, Manú does not have any markings and his throat is chestnut brown, which makes him easily identifiable from his new lady friend.
Starkey added: “It will now be the role of conservation zoos like ours to play a pivotal role in turning the tide and safeguarding their future on the planet.”
Greater Manchester officially launches five-year climate change action plan
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester has officially begun its five-year climate change action plan, with the overarching goal of becoming a net-zero city region by 2038.
The comprehensive pledge put together over a number of years itself will see Manchester City Council and the nearby local authorities put into action a number of key measures that will help to reduce not only central carbon figures but, eventually, across the 10 boroughs in turn.
Over the last 15 years, emissions have been reduced by approximately 64%, saving an estimated 44,344 tonnes of carbon through cleaner building energy, street lighting and other electronics, as well as the increasingly green and over-growing Bee Network.
They have also insisted that it isn’t just about cutting down on greenhouse gases; the aim is to make the city region and the surrounding areas more sustainable, affordable and create a better standard of life.
Our five-year plan to tackle climate change launches today. 🌏
It details how we’ll continue to deliver dramatic reductions in the amount of carbon we emit (the biggest contributor to climate change). 🏙️
As per the summary on the Council website, in addition to creating more efficient homes, they’re hoping to provide more access to nature and good-quality green space, “public transport you can rely on”, and “better health and wellbeing for those who live, work, study and visit here.”
With a steadily recovering local and national economy (touch wood), they’re also hoping for an influx of new jobs, too.
Summarising the key bullet points leading up to the end of the decade, these are the next steps currently outlined by the Council:
Lower carbon emissions
Grow the use of renewable energy
Improve low-carbon travel in the city
Improve air quality
Grow the city’s natural environment and boost biodiversity
Improve resilience to flooding and extreme heat
Engage and involve our workforce and our city’s communities
Reduce waste and grow reuse, repair, sharing and recycling
Support a move to a more circular economy
Minimise the negative impact of events held in the city
Develop our knowledge of our indirect emissions and lower them
Create a green financing strategy and explore new funding models for the city
Influence the environmental practices of other organisations
As for emissions, the target is now to drop the present output by another 34%, which will prevent almost 43,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from being pumped into the atmosphere.
Having touched upon the continued expansion of the Bee Network infrastructure, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is also set to install multiple new travel links over the coming years, including both new tram stops and train stations – further
You can read the climate action plan in full HERE.
Manchester’s firework displays are ‘back with a bang’ as they return from 2026
Emily Sergeant
Council-organised firework displays in Manchester’s parks are set to return from next year, it has been confirmed.
You may remember that these once-popular events have not been held since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic initially prevented them from taking place from 2020 onwards, and then following that, they remained paused on a trial basis while the Manchester City Council sought to ‘reprioritise funding’ to support a wider range of free community events across the city.
But now, as it seems, the door was never shut on their potential return.
An ‘improved financial position’ now means that the Council is in a position to bring firework events back, while also still continuing to support other community events.
Papers setting out the Council’s financial position show that fairer funding being introduced by the Government next year will leave the Council better off than previously anticipated, he the reason firework displays have been brought back into the mix.
The Council has admitted that ‘pressures remain’ after so many years of financial cuts, but this new funding creates the opportunity to invest in the things residents have said matter the most to them.
“Manchester prides itself on free community events and we know many people have missed Bonfire night firework spectaculars,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“That’s why we are pleased to confirm they’ll be back by popular demand in 2026.
“We know that generations of Mancunians have enjoyed Council-organised displays and that free family events are a great way to bring people together… [and] now that this Government is actually investing in Councils like ours rather than the cuts we had since 2010, we can bring back Bonfire events.”
Danny Jones -
1st May 2024 
