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Japan to resume commercial whaling
It has been reported that Japan intends to target minke, sei and Bryde’s whales, but it is not clear how many of each species will be taken.
Conservationists and politicians condemn the move 

Japan’s decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and resume commercial whaling sets a “dangerous example”, conservationists have said.

Commercial whaling was banned in 1982 after it became clear that the number of whales being killed was unsustainable and jeopardised populations.

Japan has since continued to hunt whales for ‘research purposes’ - utilising a loophole in the ban. However, the country’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga, has confirmed that commercial hunts will start again in July 2019, in Japan’s territorial waters and its exclusive economic zone.

The move has been widely condemned by conservationists and politicians alike. Environment minister Michael Gove said in a tweet that he was ‘extremely disappointed’, adding: ‘The UK is strongly opposed to commercial whaling and will continue to fight for the protection and welfare of these majestic animals.’

Astrid Fuchs, programme lead at Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) said it was “devastating news for the whales” and warned that the decision could “destroy all the progress that has been made internationally in order to protect and conserve the great whale species”.

She added: “The moratorium on commercial whaling is one of the biggest achievements of modern conservation. By resuming whaling outside IWC oversight Japan sets a dangerous example.

“Many whale species are still struggling to recover from the effects of the mass slaughter that was industrial whaling in the 20th century. All whale populations are already under threat from issues like climate change, pollution, entanglement and habitat degradation. The last thing they need is a resumption of large scale whaling.”

It has been reported that Japan intends to target minke, sei and Bryde’s whales, but it is not clear how many of each species will be taken.

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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.