Rare baby deer is seen for first time at Chester Zoo

The new arrival is part of a vital conservation breeding programme between zoos in Europe - set up at the request of the Philippine government to ensure the future survival of the highly endangered species.

At birth the fawn stood at just 30cm tall, the same as a bottle of pop, and weighed just 2kg.

Now, the tiny newcomer has taken its very first steps outside alongside proud new mum Nova, and dad Cosmos.

Zoo conservationists have revealed that the fawn is male and, in keeping with a ‘space’ theme of naming the rare deer have decided to name the newcomer after the constellation of stars, Hercules.

Incredibly rare Philippine spotted deer born at Chester Zoo.

Emma Evison, team manager at the zoo, said: “After eagerly waiting 240 days for his arrival, it was a huge relief when we saw a little bundle of fur curled up next to mum Nova one morning. She’s a great mum and has been doing everything perfectly so far – feeding him every few hours and keeping him right by her side.

“We have a team tradition of naming newborn deer within the theme of ‘space’ and, given the importance of our new arrival to his species, we decided to name him Hercules, after the constellation of stars.

"Standing at only 30cm tall he’s still got lots of growing to do and will eventually live up to his new moniker!

“Philippine spotted deer are incredibly rare and their decline has, for the most part, flown under the radar and only a few hundred now remain in the wild. Every birth is therefore absolutely critical in boosting the safety-net population in conservation zoos across Europe.”

Recent estimates suggest that there could be as few as 300 Philippine spotted deer remaining in the wild and experts at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) say the species faces a very high chance of becoming extinct in the future.

In addition to caring for the species in Chester, the zoo has also supported efforts in the Philippines to protect and restore the habitats, including supporting a number of special breeding centres for the region’s most endangered species.

Incredibly rare Philippine spotted deer born at Chester Zoo.

Stuart Young, Regional Field Programme Manager for South East Asian Islands at the zoo, added: “Philippine spotted deer have already disappeared across many parts of the Visayan islands, where they were once found roaming in large herds. Hunting and deforestation has led to the animals now only being found on two small islands, the islands of Panay and Negros.

“The zoo has, for more than 20 years, funded and helped to build vital conservation breeding centres on the two islands, sharing the skills and knowledge that has been gathered by experts here at the zoo to help successfully breed this highly endangered species in its homeland.

"A result of these efforts saw 32 Philippine spotted deer safely reintroduced into a protected nature reserve in 2020. Since then a number of births in the wild has almost doubled the population and we’re very happy to report that they are thriving.”