March 23 (UPI) — Chester Zoo in England has announced the birth of a rare, Philippine spotted deer named Lyra.
The fawn was born as part of a conservation breeding program that was established at the request of the Philippine government. Only 700 Philippine spotted deers remain in the wild, making them an endangered species.
Lyra was named after a constellation. Her mother is named Nova and her father Cosmos. Lyra was born weighing roughly six pounds after an 8-month long gestation.
Chester Zoo uploaded to Twitter video of Lyra exploring her surroundings.
Philippine spotted deers have become regionally extinct on several islands in the Philippines due to hunting, deforestation and forest clearance. They can now only be found on the islands of Panay and Negros.
“Every Philippine spotted deer birth is absolutely crucial to the long term survival of the species, so we were absolutely overjoyed to see a fluffy bundle alongside mum Nova one morning. The female calf, who we’ve named Lyra, is our new little star,” keeper Emma Evison on Chester Zoo said in a statement.
Chester Zoo and its partners have safely introduced 28 Philippine spotted deer back to the wild into a protected nature reserve.
