Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

New guidance for hand-rearing penguin chicks
The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds hand-rears abandoned African penguin chicks and releases them back into the wild.

Researchers assess efficacy of body condition index

New guidance on the survival of abandoned penguin chicks admitted to rehabilitation has been developed by researchers at the Universities of Bristol, Exeter and Cape Town.

Working with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) and Bristol Zoological Society, the researchers have developed a body condition index which uses mass and bill length to guide the removal of chicks.

The first model of its kind, the researchers say that the measurements are easy, quick and minimise the stress caused by handling.

"Using data from over 1,400 chicks rescued over six breeding seasons, we identified clear body condition thresholds that colony managers can use to prioritise the removal of chicks,” said Joanne Morten from the University of Bristol. "These thresholds also allow the rehabilitators to rapidly identify individuals in need of critical attention."

Hand-rearing chicks is proven to be an important conservation action for endangered bird species, such as the African penguin.

Every year, the SANCCOB hand-rears abandoned African penguin chicks and releases them back into the wild. This ‘chick bolstering project’ aims to boost the African penguin population, while methods to establish new colonies near high prey abundance are developed.

In the study, researchers tested the effectiveness of a body condition index that is currently being used by African penguin colony managers. The research demonstrated its effectiveness, with only 2.3 per cent of chicks admitted with a body condition index so low there was a less than 50 per cent chance of survival.

“Hand-reared African penguin chicks are just as successful as their naturally-reared counterparts, but we don’t want to cause undue stress and use resources unnecessarily,” said Joanne. “The body condition thresholds identified in this study can be used to guide future management strategies, and can be rapidly incorporated.”

‘Body condition as a quantitative tool to guide hand-rearing decisions in an endangered seabird’ by J.M. Morten, N.J. Parsons, C. Schwitzer, M.W. Holderied and R.B. Sherley in Animal Conservation.

Image (C) University of Bristol

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

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. 

Click here for more...
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.