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Large and small vertebrates ‘most at risk of extinction’
A review of the key drivers of extinction risk showed that the heaviest animals are most threatened by hunting.

Researchers analyse global database of body masses

The world’s biggest and smallest vertebrates are at most risk of extinction, according to new research.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, reveals the likelihood of being threatened is significantly related to body size for birds, fish and mammals.

In the collaborative study, researchers built a global database of body masses for some 27,000 vertebrate species assessed by the International Union for Conversation of Nature’s Red List.

They found that the extinction risk changes around a body mass breakpoint of 0.035kg, suggesting that the lightest and heaviest animals have elevated extinction risk.

A review of the key drivers of extinction risk showed that the heaviest animals are most threatened by hunting, while the lightest animals are threatened by habitat loss due to logging and pollution.

Researchers said that knowing which creatures are at risk can help focus conservation efforts.

‘Our results offer insight into halting the ongoing wave of vertebrate extinctions by revealing the vulnerability of large and small taxa, and identifying size-specific threats,’ the authors write.

‘Moreover, they indicate that, without intervention, anthropogenic activities will soon precipitate a double truncation of the size distribution of the world’s vertebrates, fundamentally reordering the structure of life on our planet.’


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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.