Travel & Tourism

Chester Zoo has welcomed a rare black jaguar, and she’s GORGEOUS

Inka is already a fan favourite.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 6th August 2023

Chester Zoo has brought a new rare big cat into town, and she’s one good-looking feline.

The tourist attraction near Greater Manchester introduced the world to Inka, a two-year-old black jaguar, over the weekend.

She’s been brought to the zoo to be a companion for Chester Zoo‘s resident male, Napo.

Videos shared by the zoo show Inka exploring her new habitat with her jaw dropped – not a cat body language expert but she looks pretty stunned by her new home.

The gorgeous animal still has those signature jaguar markings, but she’s in shades of black and grey rather than the classic browns and oranges.

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It’s not just us falling in love with Inka either – Chester Zoo themselves described her as a ‘strikingly beautiful, bold and confident’ young jaguar. Which zookeeper’s been copying my Tinder bio?!

But then the zoo went on to say she has ‘short and thick set limbs’, which isn’t so complimentary.

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Fans have been delighted to see Inka making herself at home at the zoo, with hundreds of comments calling her ‘stunning’, ‘beautiful’ and ‘gorgeous’.

One person wrote: “She is beautiful! I follow the big cat sanctuary and love seeing her there, looking forward to seeing plenty of pics of her at Chester.”

Another said: “Stunningly gorgeous, what a beautiful addition to a brilliant zoo. So lucky to have Chester zoo on our doorstep.”

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Carnivore experts at the zoo say her arrival will help to put a spotlight on her ‘remarkable’ species and support a European-wide conservation programme.

Jaguars are native to the Americas and listed as ‘near threatened’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Their numbers are declining in the wild, mostly because of humans – habitat loss, illegal hunting and conflict with humans are putting them at risk of extinction.

Dave Hall, team manager of carnivores at Chester Zoo, said: “Inka is a strikingly beautiful, bold and confident young jaguar and she’s quickly taken to her new surroundings.

“The union between her and Napo, the resident male here in Chester, has been carefully orchestrated by carnivore experts from here (Chester Zoo) and The Big Cat Sanctuary and the coordinators of a programme that’s working in partnership to ensure a genetically viable population of jaguars across Europe.

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Inka, a rare black jaguar, has arrived at Chester Zoo.
Inka, a rare black jaguar, has arrived at Chester Zoo. Credit: Supplied
Chester Zoo's resident male jaguar Napo, who will be Inka's companion.
Chester Zoo’s resident male jaguar Napo, who will be Inka’s companion. Credit: Supplied
Inka inspecting her new home at Chester Zoo. Credit: Supplied

“We hope the two of them will go to form a strong and meaningful bond, and the early signs are positive.

“Like Napo, Inka is a wonderful ambassador for her species. Jaguars are remarkable animals and the two of them together will help us to raise more much-needed awareness of the survival challenges that they face in the wild, the work that’s already being done by zoos, our partners and the local conservationists and communities to protect the ecosystems that jaguars live in, and help us to inspire further action for their conservation.”

Paul Bamford, regional field programmes manager for the Americas at Chester Zoo, added: “Deforestation and habitat fragmentation are reducing jaguar populations across their range. According to the IUCN, close to 70% of deforestation in Latin America is driven by industrial agriculture, primarily for soy, oil palm and cattle production.

“Many of these products are exported to countries such as the UK, and therefore, our shopping habits can have a significant impact on global biodiversity loss. In our role as consumers, we are unwittingly contributing to the destruction of nature on our planet.

“At Chester Zoo we are working to influence policy, both in the UK and internationally, to address this. We are supporting efforts to improve production standards and legislation so that deforestation is minimised, or eliminated for good, and wildlife can live safely alongside productive areas.

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“The goal is to create a deforestation-free economy, in which countries are able to meet their development needs sustainably. If we can break the link between habitat loss and production, then we have the opportunity secure a future for people and wildlife.”

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Featured image: Chester Zoo

Travel & Tourism

Drinks prices revealed as Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub opens inside T2

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

It’s official… Manchester Airport’s first-ever JD Wetherspoon pub has officially opened its doors inside Terminal 2.

The 300-seater pub – which welcomed its first customers earlier this week – is named The Belle Vue after Manchester’s historic showground.

Throughout the pub, you’ll spot design features that nod to the city’s sporting heritage – including vintage event posters and memorabilia, a ‘locker wall’ hosting trophies and other sporting exhibits, and a cricket-themed design in the carpets and bar panels.

Creating around 150 jobs in the process, The Belle Vue is the final planned new eatery to open in the airport’s redeveloped Terminal 2, marking one of the final steps in the super-terminal’s decade-long, £1.5bn transformation.

Manchester Airport’s first-ever Wetherspoons pub has opened inside Terminal 2 / Credit: Supplied

According to the MEN, pints are priced from £6.20 for Carling and Coors lager, £6.45 for Budweiser, £6.60 for Guinness, and £6.70 for Poretti and 1664 Biere.

Prosecco is £9.20 for 175ml glass and £37.10 for the full bottle, while spirts and mixers are £6.80 for singles and £10.20 for doubles.

There’s also the classic Wetherspoons tea and coffee machines, where you can refill as many times as you like for just £3.60.

“It’s a proud moment to see the final new retail unit opening in our new-look Terminal 2,” commented Richard Jackson, who is the Retail Director at Manchester Airport.

“To be rounding off this 10-year programme by adding such an iconic name as Wetherspoon to the terminal is particularly special and we know that it will prove extremely popular with passengers. We think they’ll love the nods to Manchester’s heritage in the décor and design – and of course the name.”

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The Belle Vue will be open from the first flight to the final flight each day, and food will be served from opening until 10pm.

Featured Image – Supplied

Travel & Tourism

Etihad Stadium showcases City Hall, the new beating heart of Manchester City match days 

Lonnie Bowes Lonnie Bowes Etihad Stadium showcases City Hall, the new beating heart of Manchester City match days 

There’s a particular kind of Manchester buzz you only get pitch-side. If you’re a seasoned Cityzen this one’s for you – one of three major new hospitality options for your next game day at the Etihad Stadium. 

Tucked in the heart of the new Pep Guardiola Stand, directly behind the goal, we have the brand-new City Hall.

City Hall is built for people who actually want to watch football in comfort, and with a massive 500 capacity hall a stone’s throw from the pitch, it’s a hard one to pass up.

Doors open a full two hours before the match, and that early access turns the day into an occasion rather than a scramble.

There’s time to properly soak up the atmosphere in what is a genuinely lively, buzzing bar, and I have to say potentially one of the best I’ve come across on a match day.

Food and drink are where the local flavour really comes through. The street food menu leans into Manchester’s own identity with a modern twist. 

The catering is relaxed and doesn’t take itself too seriously, let’s just say having a chip barm and chicken madras pie on the run-up to a kick-off is my idea of heaven.

Inside City Hall at the Etihad Stadium
Inside City Hall at the Etihad Stadium

Every guest gets an inclusive drink as part of your booking, too. You get to pick from a selected wine, beer or soft drink which you can claim at any point during your visit.

It’s a setup that suits everyone, whether you’re in it for a proper pre-match pint with your mates or meal with your family before a day of making pitch side memories.

The little touches matter too. A matchday programme is a nice, old-school addition in an era where so much matchday content has gone digital. 

And crucially, the experience doesn’t end at the final whistle: with an hour’s access after the match, there’s no need to bolt for the exits the second the referee blows for full-time. You can sit and finish your drink, and let the ground empty out around you instead of fighting through it.

Put it all together and City Hall feels like hospitality done with an actual sense of place. 

Manchester street food, a proper buzzing bar, and one of the best seats in the house, all wrapped around a schedule that respects the fact that match day is about more than just the 90 minutes. 

For anyone looking to upgrade how they watch City this season, it’s well worth a look.

Have a look and make a booking at City Hall at the Etihad Stadium HERE. 

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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