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Elephants 'beat the heat' in snowy enclosure
Large delivery brings 20 tonnes of snow to Whipsnade

In light of the recent heatwave, ZSL Whipsnade Zoo has come up with a novel plan to help its largest residents to beat the heat.

The zoo's elephants are awaiting a large delivery of 20 tonnes of snow for their enclosure - a seven acre paddock housing nine Asian elephants.

Complete with snowmen, this icy enrichment will come from the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead, the UK's newest snowsports destination.

It will create a winter wonderland and unleash the elephants' playful personalities, as they roll in it and make snowballs with their trunks.

Technicians will be getting up at 5am to prepare for the delivery today (July 25), and journalists, photographers and film crews are invited to see the elephants playing in the snow.

Assistant curator of elephants, Lee Sambrook, said: "We’re always looking for new ways to keep our elephants cool in this heat, and the youngsters especially love having new things to investigate so we’re expecting them to love their snowy surprise."

 

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

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News Shorts
BVA urges 'continued vigilance' over bluetongue

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has urged vigilance following a concerning rise in Bluetongue (BTV) cases in sheep and cattle.

In a recent statement, the BVA noted that members are reporting more severe clinical signs and higher mortality rates than in previous years.

'We know that farm vets are working hard to support farmers and animals affected by this outbreak, during what is an extremely difficult time for all involved,' they stated. 'Continued vigilance to identify disease early is vital and vaccination remains the best way of protecting animals from this disease.'