THE latest addition at Chester Zoo has stepped outside for the very first time.

Two-week-old giraffe calf Mburo held his head high as he made his first public appearance venturing out with the rest of the herd including parents Dagmar and Meru.

The birth of the calf was captured by the zoo's CCTV on Tuesday, March 5.

He is named after an area of western Uganda in which the zoo's field conservation partners, The Giraffe Conservation Foundation, first translocated a group of Rothschild's giraffes.

Giraffes team manager Sarah Roffe said: "Since being born just two weeks ago, Mburo has been spending lots of quality time with mum Dagmar and the rest of the herd.

"Now he’s really found his feet and his confidence is coming on leaps and bounds – his little personality is really starting to shine through.

“To see a young Rothschild’s giraffe calf strutting his stuff is really quite special – a real privilege when you consider that fewer than 2,650 remain in the wild.

"For many years they have been experiencing a silent extinction and it’s important that we help raise awareness of their plight and continue to help boost numbers in the international breeding programme, as well as assist with conservation efforts in Africa.

“Whilst it’s incredibly positive news that numbers in the wild are slowly increasing, the tiny Rothschild’s giraffe populations in the wild are extremely fragile and must be carefully monitored to ensure their continued survival.

"Our experts have worked in Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda for a number of years helping to protect, monitor and track the population – so it’s an incredible feeling to know we’ve played an essential role in the beginning of their recovery.”