First giraffe born at Kent zoo in eight years named after Jude Bellingham

He may be playing for the Three Lions, but Jude Bellingham’s new namesake is a different animal altogether.

A Kent animal park has named its first giraffe calf born in eight years after the England star in honour of his ‘outstanding performances’ at the World Cup.

Bellingham is the top-scoring midfielder in the tournament, having scored a total of six times so far. No midfielder has ever scored more at a World Cup.

Two of these goals were in England’s match against Norway last weekend, a feat which secured England’s spot in the semi-finals.

Just hours before, Jude the Nubian giraffe was born at Port Lympne Reserve.

Tony Kelly, the park’s managing director, said: ‘Welcoming the first giraffe born at Port Lympne since 2018 is an incredibly special moment, not just for everyone here, but for giraffe conservation in the UK.

‘The timing of Jude’s arrival – on Saturday, when the nation was celebrating England’s World Cup success – made the occasion even more memorable.

‘These first few weeks are a delicate time for both mum and calf, so we’re giving them all the care and space they need.

‘Our keepers are with them constantly, and although it’s still early days, we’re delighted with how Jude is progressing, and we look forward to our guests meeting her later this month.’

After a 16-month gestation, mother Leana safely gave birth to Jude, who was fathered by the reserve’s resident bull giraffe, Zubani.

The calf was up on her feet within hours of her birth and is ‘continuing to grow stronger every day’.

She currently stands at 5 ft 8 inches, slightly smaller than the English midfielder who is 6 ft 1.

The mother and daughter are spending Jude’s first few weeks in the giraffe house, where experienced keepers and vets monitor them closely.

Nubian giraffes are among the world’s most threatened giraffe subspecies, meaning every successful birth is an important contribution to the international conservation breeding programme and another positive step towards safeguarding the future of the species.

The real Jude Bellingham will put his neck on the line tonight as England plays Argentina for a place in the World Cup final on July 19. Whoever gets through will face Spain after they defeated France 2-0.