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Chimps bond after watching films together - study
Chimpanzees who watch films together bond in a similar way to humans.

Bonding through shared experience may have deep evolutionary roots

Chimpanzees who watch films together bond in a similar way to humans, according to new research.

Until now, scientists believed that connecting with others was a uniquely human experience. But new research led by Duke University has revealed that apes are also able to create social closeness by participating in group activities.

In the study, chimpanzees, bonobos and humans were put into pairs and shown a short film. The film was of a young chimpanzee playing with its family - footage shown by previous research to capture the attention of great apes.

Each participant sat in a booth and looked through a screen towards a PC showing the video. An eye tracker was used to check the participants were watching the film while a tube filled with grape juice encouraged them to sit still. Once settled, the experimenter could enter the room.

After the film, the team measured how long the participants spent in each others proximity and the time engaged in interactive behaviours. They found that both chimpanzees and bonobos approached their partner faster after having watched a video with them.

'Our results suggest that one of the most basic mechanisms of human social bonding—feeling closer to those with whom we act or attend together—is present in both humans and great apes, and thus has deeper evolutionary roots than previously suspected,' the researchers conclude.

The study, Visually attending to a video together facilitates great ape social closeness, is published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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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.