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Frogs and toads in decline in Scotland - survey
RSPB Scotland is urging people to create simple homes for frogs and toads in their gardens, to help reverse the declines.
Garden ponds needed to tackle falling populations

The public are being urged to build garden ponds, as survey results show Scotland’s frog and toad populations are in decline.

Sightings of toads in Scottish gardens have fallen by 25 per cent in four years, according to the RSPB’s wildlife survey, which included results from more than 10,300 gardens.

Just half of those who took part had seen a toad in their garden in the past year, which represents a decline of seven per cent. Overall, toads were seen in 17 per cent of outdoor spaces on a monthly basis.

Meanwhile, sightings of frogs fell by five per cent since the last survey in 2014.

RSPB Scotland is urging people to create simple homes for frogs and toads in their gardens, to help reverse the declines.

Species and habitats officer, James Silvey, said: “It’s very easy to give them a helping hand by creating a small pond, or using a washing up bowl to make a pool away from sunlight and well covered with plants. These simple tasks to help them can have a positive impact on a whole range of garden wildlife too.”

Other results from the Big Garden Birdwatch survey suggest there was a small rise in the number of hedgehog sightings, with 62 per cent of people in Scotland spotting one in their garden over the past year.

Foxes remained one of the most common garden visitors and were seen in 70 per cent of gardens and outdoor spaces.

Scotland was also shown to be a stronghold for red squirrels. Across the UK as a whole, only six per cent of people had seen the mammals in their gardens over the past year, while in Scotland the figure was 37 per cent.

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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.