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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 17th December 2014
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Mass extinction possible in a few centuries
red bellied toad
Forty-one per cent of amphibian species are thought to be at risk of extinction.
Report warns 41 per cent of amphibians are threatened with extinction

Experts have warned that we may face another mass extinction in the next few centuries, where 75 per cent of species are lost. However, there is much uncertainty as to how many species exist and how quickly they will vanish.

Estimates on the number of animal species range from two million to 11 million, making it difficult to determine the percentage of species under threat. A report published recently in the journal Nature attempts to pull together the most reliable data.

According to available knowledge, amphibians are the most imperilled, with 41 per cent of species thought to be at risk of extinction. This is partly due to the deadly chytrid fungus, which devastates amphibian populations around the globe.

Meanwhile, over a quarter (26 per cent) of mammals and 33 per cent of birds are threatened with extinction.

If these trends continue, it is possible that we will see the sixth mass extinction in the history of the planet, in just a few hundred years.

Humans are cited as a major cause of species decline, with hunting and habitat destruction proving particularly damaging. It is thought climate change will increase the pace of extinctions in the future, though scientists say this is difficult to predict.

While there are many discrepancies in the numbers of species that exist and the level of threat they are facing, scientists are agreed on the need to further evaluate the current and future threats.

One way to do this, according to the report, is to use a computer model that has been developed to forecast the effect of human activities on ecosystems.

To read the full report, visit: http://www.nature.com/news/biodiversity-life-a-status-report-1.16523

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise 100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.