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South Africa to overturn domestic ban on rhino trade
Last year alone, over 1,200 rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa.

Born Free warn decision may hasten rhino's extinction

A high-court verdict to overturn a domestic ban on rhino trade has been reached in South Africa. The announcement has prompted a warning from the Born Free Foundation that it could put the world's rhino at even greater risk.

The decision was instigated following a petition from two prominent game farmers who claimed that the ban had fuelled the escalation of rhino poaching, which in turn was making their rhino stock uneconomic to maintain.

Commenting on the decision, Born Free Foundation's president Will Travers OBE, said: “Rhinos are threatened by poaching for their horns across their remaining African and Asian range. South Africa has the majority of the world’s rhinos, but by no means all.

"Legalising trade in rhino horn, at either a domestic or an international level, sends a message to consumers that rhino horn is a legitimate product - and will inevitably lead to increased demand, incentivising further poaching. Trading in horn will not save rhinos – it could hasten their extinction.”

In South Africa, rhinos are traded between government-operated National Parks, where around a third of the country's estimated 21,000 white and black rhinos live, and private game farmers who own most of the remainder.

Many game farmers in the country have been calling for their Government to propose a legal mechanism to allow international trade in rhino horn. The stockpiles they would sell would be obtained from natural mortalilities or through dehorning operations designed to protect the animals from poachers. The money would then be used to pay for their ranching programmes.

Last year alone, over 1,200 rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa and the estimate for 2015 is expected to exceed that number.

Born Free warn that if this epidemic continues, there are fears that rhinos could become extinct across much of their remaining range.  Legalising the market, the organisation believes, will not help to solve the problem, and may well accelerate poaching.

Mr Travers added: “South Africa does not exist in isolation, and the decisions it makes will have repercussions in other rhino range countries in Africa and Asia which are struggling to protect their remaining rhinos.

"Leading international economists and conservation experts agree that the markets for rhino horn are highly unpredictable, and that legalising the trade would be a huge risk, one that will be very difficult to reverse should it prove disastrous – as I predict it will.

"This decision, which seems to be based on the desire of private rhino owners to make a lot of money by selling their stocks of rhino horn, puts all of Africa and Asia’s remaining rhinos at even greater jeopardy. We urge the South African authorities to appeal the judgement and desist from any further efforts to legalise rhino horn trade.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.