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Research reveals embryonic hearing abilities in birds
The 600 hours of recordings revealed that calling was triggered by temperatures reaching 26 degrees and above. 
Birds warn incubating embryos about rising temperatures

A paper published by researchers at Deakin's Centre for Integrative Ecology (CIE) details how birds use specific calls to warn incubating embryos about the heat.  

The study, which has been published in the latest edition of Science, revealed how heat-warning calls changed post-hatching weight gain and behaviour in response to warmer temperatures in zebra finches.

Professor Kate Buchanan, Australian Research Council Future Fellow, said: "Embryos' capacity to hear and even learn, external sounds has been known since the 1960s, in humans and animals alike, but the implications of hearing before birth for adaptation to post hatching conditions has not been suspected."

The researchers used small microphones to record zebra finches breeding in outdoor aviaries at Deakin. The recordings were then played to eggs in artificial incubators. The 600 hours of recordings revealed that calling was triggered by temperatures reaching 26 degrees and above.  

The specific call also changed how nestlings adjusted behaviour and growth to adapt to the heat. Calling also only occurred within five days of hatching, when it is assumed embryos develop hearing. The finches did not call to freshly laid eggs.

Adult finches that had experienced the calls demonstrated higher thermal preferences, choosing themselves to breed in hotter nests.

Lead author, Dr Mylene Mariette, said: "Such profound and long lasting effects of prenatal acoustic experience had never been demonstrated before."

"Our priority is to establish the physiological mechanisms underlying these effects and how widespread this strategy is in birds."

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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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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.