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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BBC releases first look of new drama series based on inspirational journey of England men’s football team
Emily Sergeant
First look images of a new BBC drama series based on award-winning play Dear England have been released.
The four-part series based on James Graham’s Olivier-award winning play of the same name tells the story of Gareth Southgate and the England men’s football team journey to renewed success, and it’s set to air on BBC One and iPlayer next year.
Dear England is a fictionalised account of the struggles and successes of England’s football teams, based on extensive research and interviews.
The stage play premiered at the National Theatre to five-star reviews, winning an Olivier award for ‘Best New Play’, and enjoying a sell-out run in 2023 before it returned to the National Theatre earlier this year and then embarked on a national tour.
The first look images of new BBC series Dear England have been released / Credit: BBC
With the worst team track record for penalties in the world when he takes over as manager, Gareth knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take England back to the promised land.
The country that gave the world football has delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t the England team win at their own game?
Joseph Fiennes will reprise his Olivier award-nominated role as Gareth Southgate in the new series.
Joseph Fiennes will star as former manager Gareth Southgate / Credit: BBC
The first look pictures see Fiennes in his role for the first time in scenes depicting England’s triumphant Euro 2024 Semi-Final celebrations, where the men’s team reached their first final of a major tournament on foreign soil.
Fiennes is joined by Jodie Whittaker as England men’s team psychologist Pippa Grange, and Daniel Ryan as Steve Holland the former assistant manager, whilst Will Antenbring stars as Harry Kane, joined by an ensemble cast of upcoming actors as the rest of the team.
Among the squad cast is Adam Hugill, Josh Barrow, and screen newcomer Lewis Shepherd, who are all reprising their respective stage roles as Harry Maguire, Jordan Pickford, and Dele Alli.
Dear England will air on BBC One and iPlayer in the new year, with exact air dates set to be announced in due course.
Featured Image – BBC
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New survey reveals Britain’s ULTIMATE Christmas dinner combo – including ‘surprising’ sides
Emily Sergeant
A new survey of the British public has revealed what our ultimate Christmas dinner combination is, including some very surprising sides.
With December now well underway and the festive feasting season already thriving, it won’t be long until the big day is here and lots of Brits sit down to tuck into the heartiest meal they’ll likely have all year – their Christmas dinner, of course.
But do we all like to eat the same things? Apparently not.
You may remember that a survey conducted a couple of years back found that a good chunk of Brits would prefer to eat a curry over a traditional Christmas dinner, but now, a big new survey by YouGov has revealed what the nation’s ultimate Christmas dinner combination would be in the year 2025 – all the way from mains, to sides, to dessert.
A new survey has revealed Britain’s ultimate Christmas dinner combo / Credit: PickPic | Pxhere
When it comes to mains, it’s no surprise (or maybe it is?) that turkey still rules the roost at the Christmas dinner table, with 57% of Brits having it as part of their main meal.
On the other hand though, chicken or beef are not uncommon, with just under a quarter (24%) having either as part of their Christmas dinner, while one in seven(15%) tuck into some Christmas ham, and 10% of festive dinner tables feature other joints of pork.
Vegetarian or vegan alternatives, such as the ever-popular nut roasts, were found to feature on the Christmas dinner table for 13% of Brits.
When it comes to sides, it really is no surprise this time that roast potatoes and gravy take the crown, with around eight in 10 Brits (79-81%) accompanying their roasts with the duo.
Everything from mains, to sides, to desserts are on the menu / Credit: Realmac Software (via Unsplash)
Carrots will be on the table at 76% of Christmas dinners, while just over two thirds (70%) will feature stuffing, pigs in blankets, or Brussels sprouts, 62% typically have parsnips, and half (49%) add Yorkshire puddings to their plate.
Roughly four in 10 (40-42%) include cranberry sauce or broccoli, and 51% of us lot in the North will include mashed potatoes in the mix too.
Surprisingly, 16% add bread sauce to their plate, and 5% even opt for potato dauphinoise.
Ready to chat sweet treats? When it comes to dessert to finish things off, traditional classics like Christmas pudding (41%) and mince pies (31%) come out on top, but a little lower down the list you’ll also find trifle (18%), sticky toffee pudding (9%), and even stollen (5%).
On the flip side though, the survey also found that a traditional roast dinner doesn’t feature in everyone’s festive seasons, with 7% of Brits saying they have something else as their main meal on Christmas Day.
Emily Sergeant -
24th July 2025 
