Belfast Zoo has announced the death of Delilah, believed to be one of the oldest gorillas in the world.

Zoo announces passing of 'world's oldest gorilla'

Nathan Hanna has the latest news and sport.

Watch: Saturday's headlines in Northern Ireland

Belfast City Council has agreed to move Belfast's two remaining elephants to the Netherlands.

Elephants to leave zoo

The Barbary is at once majestic and tragic. Native to North Africa, they no longer exist in the wild.

'Tinder for endangered species', Belfast Zoo opens new enclosure for Lions

Animals at Belfast Zoo are beating the heat with blocks of ice and dips in the pool when temperatures reach double digits.

Animals at Belfast Zoo beat the heat with popsicles and dips in the pool

Katie Andrews has Friday's news headlines in Northern Ireland.

Friday's news headlines in Northern Ireland 

Capable of travelling at speeds nearing 70mph, the female named Mia will stay in a new specially designed ‘Cheetah lookout’ habitat.

World's fastest cat returns to Belfast Zoo

Rothschild’s giraffes are one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies, with only around 2,000 remaining in the wild.

Zoo welcomes new calf from one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies

Belfast Zoo Senior Zookeeper Lara says "he is so boisterous, he has such a big personality and is super independent already"..

Birthday bash at Belfast Zoo as Kofi celebrates a big milestone

Lizzie the chimp celebrates milestone 50th birthday at Belfast Zoo

Katie Andrews with Northern Ireland's news headlines 030822

Katie Andrews has your Wednesday morning headlines in Northern Ireland.

Wednesday's Northern Ireland news headlines

Belfast Zoo

Proud mum, Casey, laboured for two hours and gave birth naturally at 2.30pm, inside the giraffe house, which was closed to the public to provide privacy for bonding. Zookeepers report that the male calf is doing well and that Casey is doing a great job. Casey is a second time mum, after giving birth to Ballyronan in May 2020.

Belfast Zoo traditionally names giraffes after places beginning with “Bally”. The male Rothschild’s giraffe calf is named Ballyhenry, a townland in County Antrim, which was chosen by Curator Raymond Robinson.

New-born giraffes usually weigh around 100kg and are around 5 feet 9 inches tall, but little Henry measures 5 feet 7inches. Rothschild’s giraffes are one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies. Estimates suggest that only around 2,000 remain in the wild, due to illegal hunting for meat and hide and a continuing loss of habitat.

Sustained conservation action has helped the general giraffe population move from ‘endangered’ status to ‘near threatened’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, but the Rothschild’s giraffe subspecies remains endangered.

Alyn Cairns, Zoo Manager, said “We’re delighted to welcome little Henry to the herd at Belfast Zoo. We first welcomed Rothschild’s giraffes in 1988 and have since celebrated the birth of 39 calves. We’re proud to participate in a European breeding programme and collaborate with zoos around the world. Our breeding success helps to ensure that that there is a ‘safety net’ population of this endangered subspecies.”

Visitors can see the new calf and its herd at the giraffe house or outside in the giraffe paddock at Belfast Zoo daily from 10am until 6pm (last entry is currently 4.30pm).

The calf - who was born on Sunday afternoon - is a Rothschild's giraffe, one of the most endangered distinct populations of giraffe.

Say hello to Belfast Zoo's baby giraffe 'handsome Henry'

Colobus monkeys in Yungwe Forest National Park
Picture by: Zaruba Ondrej/Czech News Agency/PA Images
Compressed for web

Call for new international agreement to support conservation programs have been significantly challenged by post-Brexit regulations.

Zoos warns of threat to conservation programme over Brexit red tape 

The latest newborns include critically endangered cotton top tamarin twins, an endangered crowned lemur, prairie dog pups and penguin chicks.

Belfast Zoo welcomes cute new arrivals

The new animals are yet to have their gender identified. Both were born in the zoo last month.

Belfast Zoo

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