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South Africa will not legalise trade in rhino horn
Rhino
At least 1,338 rhinos were killed by poachers across Africa in 2015.
News welcomed by Born Free Foundation

The Government of South Africa has decided not to proceed with plans to legalise trade in rhino horn.

The decision was reached during a cabinet meeting with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

In a statement released last week (21 April) reflecting decisions taken at its meeting, the Government said: “The committee recommends that the current mode of keeping the country’s stock levels be kept as opposed to the trading in rhino horns.”

Welcoming the news, Adam Roberts, chief executive of the Born Free Foundation, said that the organisation commends the South African authorities for reaching what they consider to 'be the right decision’.

“There is certainly much work to do in South Africa to protect rhinos against the scourge of poaching, and a legal trade mechanism could so easily have unravelled all this important work,” he said.  

“We look forward to continuing to work with South Africa, other rhino range States, and countries with markets for rhino horn, to bring this scourge to a permanent end, and we call on the international community to do the same so these magnificent animals can survive and thrive long into the future.”

The South African Government and the Private Rhino Owners Association are among those that have spoken in favour of the legalisation of the rhino horn as a way to stop poaching and sales on the black market.

But Born Free, together with partner organisations, scientists, economists and other experts, have strongly argued that legalising the trade would increase demand, provide a mechanism for laundering illegal horn, and undermine law enforcement and demand reduction efforts.

Earlier this year, the IUCN reported that the number of African rhinos killed by poachers had increased for the sixth year in a row, with at least 1,338 rhinos killed by poachers across Africa in 2015.

It is the highest level since the current crisis began to emerge in 2008. Since then, at least 5,940 African rhinos have been killed by poachers.

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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.