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Chester Zoo's New Baby Giraffe Makes an Entrance With First 'Outdoor Zoomies'

A baby giraffe born at the Chester Zoo in Cheshire, UK, announced his entrance into the world with his “first outdoor zoomies,” according to a post on the zoo’s Facebook page.

The zoo’s newest Rothschild’s giraffe calf — one of Africa’s most at-risk mammals — is named Stanley and was born to mother Orla and father Meru on Saturday, August 6, bringing an end to a 15-month pregnancy.

According to a press release shared with Storyful, the rare baby giraffe was named after Mount Stanley, the tallest mountain in Uganda.

Mike Jordan, director of animals and plants at the zoo, said in the press release that the birth of the giraffe calf is fantastic news as the species is experiencing a “silent extinction.”

Jordan added that the zoo’s breeding program and its partnership with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and the Uganda Wildlife Authority to protect and monitor the animal has boosted the number of giraffes at the Kidepo Valley National Park from single digits to over 70.

This footage shows Stanley loping around the zoo’s grounds with some larger giraffes. Credit: Chester Zoo via Storyful

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