CCTV footage showed the moment the baby wobbled as he got to his feet to meet his two-month-old brother Mburo.
A rare baby giraffe branded a “special new arrival” has been captured falling six feet to the ground after birth, in dramatic footage at Chester zoo.
The young calf’s mother Orla, a highly endangered Rothschild’s giraffe gave birth after two and a half hours of labour at 3am on Wednesday May 8.
CCTV footage showed the moment the baby fell onto the straw below, and wobbled as he got to his feet to meet his two-month-old brother Mburo.
Sarah Roffe, Giraffe team manager at the zoo, said: “When you’re the world’s tallest land mammal, your entry into the world is a long one, and not always very graceful.
“But since giraffes give birth standing up, a calf starts off its life with a drop of up to two metres to the ground. This fall breaks the umbilical cord helps to stimulate its first breath.
“Following the birth, Orla’s calf was then on its feet within 30 minutes, and is already towering above most of the keepers at nearly six feet tall.
“It’s so far looking strong and healthy and is another special new arrival, coming hot on the hooves of Mburo who was born just eight weeks ago.
“Mburo was clearly highly interested in the new thing that had landed near to him. Seeing the two young calves together is wonderful.”
Rothschild’s giraffes are under a threat of extinction, with fewer than 2,650 in the wild.
Around one-third of the surviving population of Rothschild’s giraffes live in zoos, where carefully coordinated breeding programmes create a safety net for the population.
The species can be identified by its broader dividing white lines and has no spots between the knees.
KOHALA, Hawai‘i--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--
Kuleana Rum Works, the Hawai‘i-based distillery known for its additive-free, award-winning rums, today announced the release of “An Open Letter on Additive-Free Rum,” written by Founder & CEO Steve Jefferson, addressing why rum is now facing the same scrutiny and market shift that reshaped tequila a decade ago.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107792953/en/
Consumers across spirits are demanding more honesty about how products are made. Additive-free labeling has already transformed tequila and is reshaping whiskey and RTDs. Drinkers now expect producers to protect natural flavor instead of masking it, and bartenders increasingly use transparency as a measure of quality. The letter positions rum as the next category entering this accountability cycle, as more consumers begin to question undisclosed sweeteners, flavorings and added color.
Tequila provides the clearest precedent. Producers who embraced additive-free methods helped premiumize the category, while brands relying on undisclosed additives now face growing skepticism. According to the letter, rum is approaching the same turning point. Jefferson explains that Kuleana Rum Works was founded on additive-free principles: growing heirloom Hawaiian kō (sugarcane), fermenting and distilling fresh juice at lower proof to preserve natural character, adding nothing after distillation and holding all blending partners to the same standards. Every rum — whether distilled in Hawai‘i or sourced — is verified additive-free through independent lab testing and supplier documentation.
“Consumer expectations are changing fast across spirits,” said Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works. “People want honesty in what they drink, and they’re rewarding producers who protect natural flavor rather than covering it up. Additive-free isn’t a trend — it’s becoming the standard, and rum is now facing that shift head-on.”
Additional detail in the letter underscores how production choices such as fresh juice fermentation, low-proof distillation and a strict no-additives policy create transparency and flavor integrity that align with what the market is valuing.
About Kuleana Rum Works
Founded on the island of Hawai‘i in 2013, Kuleana Rum Works crafts award-winning, additive-free rums — led by its signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole® — from fresh kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane) grown on its regenerative Kohala farm. Now available in 17 states and Japan, Kuleana Rum Works champions excellence, transparency and community stewardship. Visit kuleanarum.com to learn more.
https://kuleanarum.com/additive-free/
