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Last male Sumatran rhino in Malaysia dies
The Sumatran rhino is believed to be the most endangered large mammal on the planet.

Species is on the verge of extinction

Malaysia's last known male Sumatran rhino has died following months of poor health, according to wildlife officals.

The rhino, called Tam, lived at a reserve in the state of Sabah, Borneo. A female named Iman is the last Sumatran rhino now living in Malaysia.

Tam was thought to be around 30 years old and had been suffering with kidney and liver damage for some time.

Announcing the news on social media, the Borneo Rhino Alliance - one of the organisations that had been caring for Tam - said: "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that Tam, Malaysia's last male Sumatran rhino, has passed away.

"We will share more details in due time, but right now we need some time to mourn his passing."

The Sumatran rhino is believed to be the most endangered large mammal on earth. Owing to decades of habitat loss and poaching, there are thought to be no more than 80 Sumatran rhinos in existence - most of which live on the island of Sumatra in Western Indonesia.

According to the WWF, the biggest threat Sumatran rhinos now face is the distance that separates their small populations. A tiny number of rhinos of the same subspecies as Tam live in central Borneo.

In a bid to bring the Sumatran rhino back from the verge of extinction, the Government of Indonesia, an alliance of conservation organisations and Sumatran Rhino Rescue have launched an international rescue mission.
Currently, they are focused on finding a relocating the scattered individuals to specialised facilities designed for their care. It is hoped that, in time, they will be able to increase their population enough to allow them to be released back into the wild.

Dr Margaret Kinnaird of WWF said: “The world has lost a yet another magnificent creature and moves closer towards losing an ancient rhino lineage. The death of Tam, the last known male in Malaysian Borneo, underscores the critical importance of the collaborative efforts being driven by the Sumatran Rhino Rescue project.

"We offer our condolences to the Government of Sabah and the Borneo Rhino Alliance team, who cared for Tam in his final years.”

Image (C) Charles W. Hardin/Wikimedia Commons.

 

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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. 

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.