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Pangolins return to wild after illegal goods seizure
pangolin
Pangolins are hunted for their scales, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
Authorities release 94 animals in Sumatra

Indonesian authorities released 94 pangolins into the wild last week, after a huge seizure of illegal wildlife goods, Mongabay reports.

Five tons of confiscated pangolin meat were burned in the provincial capital of Medan. Also seized were the live animals and 77kg of pangolin scales.

According to Mongabay, which is part of the Guardian Environment Network, the environment and forestry minister Siti Nurbaya called for harsher punishments to be handed down by judges.

Currently, offenders spend an average of eight months in jail and pay Rp10 million, yet the maximum penalty is five years in prison and Rp500 million ($38,000).

A newborn pangolin's mother and two other animals died shortly after the raid. A team of vets decided the remaining 94 animals were able to return to the wild.

Pangolins' plate-like scales are made from keratin, the same substance as rhino horn. The species is in rapid decline due to demand for its scales in traditional Chinese medicine. Pangolin meat is also considered a delicacy in Vietnam and China.

According to the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), pangolins are the most illegally trafficked animal in the world, with more than a million traded in the past 10 years, despite a commercial trade ban in Asia.


 

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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.