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ZSL London helps to secure future of the Asiatic lion
Asiatic lion
Asiatic lions are on the brink of extinction.

Visitors encouraged to donate to Lions400 and be part of the 'Land of the Lions' Majestic Mosaic

ZSL London Zoo are offering visitors the opportunity to contribute to its new Land of the Lions exhibit which is due to open in spring 2016.

The zoo will be creating a Majestic Mosaic within their new lion exhibit. The mosaic will be made up of 400 individual tiles representing each of the 400 endangered Asiatic lions left in the wild. Taking pride of place in the new enclosure, the mosaic will offer supporters of Lions 400 the chance to dedicate a mosaic tile with a personal message.

Asiatic lions, which only survive in the isolated Gir Forest in Western Gujarate, India, are on the brink of extinction. Their natural habitat leaves them vulnerable to threats such as disease, disaster and conflict with humans.

ZSL's Lions400 campaign aims to raise £5.7m to create Land of the Lions, a state-of-the-art Asiatic lion hub and exhibit, and carry out vital conservation work in the wild to protect this endangered species. The zoo is working with the Gujarat government and Wildlife Institute in India to safeguard the future of these majestic creatures.  

Each of the limited edition tiles which form the mosaic will acknowledge a £400 donation to the campaign.

ZSL's fund-raising director James Wren said: "The Majestic Mosaic will allow supporters to be personally recognised for their generous donations to Lions400 and will create a stunning legacy in the heart of the new Land of the Lions Exhibit.

"These magnificent animals face a fight for survival every day, and are particularly vulnerable to the threats of disease of conflict with humans. By donating to the campaign not only can people make their mark on the Zoo, they will also be helping ZSL to ensure these big cats will survive for future generations."

To find out more visit www.zsl.org/lions400

Image (C) ZSL London

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.