Former secretary of the NOAH Code of Practice, Desmond Hutchinson, has been given a special award for his contribution to animal health.

Desmond was appointed Secretary to NOAH's Code of Practice Committee in 1997 and is set to retire in April. During his 22 years of service, he has attended more than 70 case meetings and processed some 120 cases.

Presenting the award at NOAH's VIP lunch in London, NOAH chair James Brannan said: "Desmond's outstanding services to our industry must be acknowledged. He is highly respected by his peers both past and present and, of course, by the NOAH secretariat.His work has assisted us in maintaining high promotional standards for veterinary medicines."

RZSS Highland Wildlife Park has welcomed the arrival of a litter of snow leopard cubs. The cubs were born to mum Animesh and dad Chan seven weeks ago and have started to explore life outside the cubbing box.

Keepers are delighted with the arrival, though say the coming weeks are critical for the cubs' survival. Una Richardson, the park's head of carnivores, said: "We are thrilled, though we remain cautious as this is still a very delicate stage in their development. Animesh has had three cubs and they will be health checked by our keepers and vets around three weeks from now."

"Snow leopards are relatively solitary animals, so dad Chan is living separately from Animesh and the cubs, who will remain with their mum until they are around two years old."

Keepers at Colchester Zoo are hailing the arrival of a pair of critically endangered Amur leopard cubs.

The cubs were born to first-time parents Esra and Crispin on the 9 September. This is the first time the Zoo has bred Amur leopard cubs on-site.

Amur leopards originate from the Russian Far East and north-east China. In the wild they are threatened by climate change, habitat loss, deforestation and the illegal wildlife trade.

The cubs are said to be "looking well" and are expected to emerge from their den in a few weeks.

A litter of Asiatic lion cubs has been born at Edinburgh Zoo. At just three weeks old, the cubs are off display and being nursed by their mother, Roberta.

Five cubs were initially born but sadly two did not survive. Staff say the surviving three cubs are doing well but the next few months are crucial.

The cubs will be weighed and sexed at their first health check in the coming weeks, after which they will also be named.

Asiatic lions are endangered, with estimates suggesting there are only 350 left in the wild. Threats include poaching, habitat destruction, conflict with humans and declining prey.

Images RZSS

Squirrel monkeys, penguins and meerkats are just some of the animals that stepped on the scales on Thursday (22 August) for the start of ZSL London Zoo's annual weigh-in.

The annual event gives keepers a chance to check the animals in their care are healthy, eating well and growing at the correct weight. Keepers say that a growing waistline can also help them to detect pregnancies, which is vital as many of the species at the zoo are endangered.

The data is then added to a database shared with zoos and conservationists across the globe. This helps keepers to compare information and provide better care for the species they are fighting to protect.

Equine event rider Mary King has teamed up with Blue Cross to help children and young people learn more about the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Mary stars in a new educational video highlighting the growing problems associated with the horse welfare crisis. Volunteer education speakers, supported by videos featuring Mary, will spread the word about the five welfare needs, and the need to breed responsibly.

Blue Cross education officer Gemma Taylor said: "In terms of horses, the biggest issue is the sheer number of them needing our help.

"Too many horses and not enough homes mean that UK charities are being swamped with abandoned, unwanted and neglected horses and ponies. We are thrilled to have teamed up with Mary King to help encourage people to understand and engage with the problem to help prevent it from escalating."