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Edinburgh Zoo welcomes inquisitive otter pair
Barry and Luna are enjoying exploring their new home.
Barry and Luna are settling in well to their new enclosure. 

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has welcomed the arrival of two Asian small-clawed otters to Edinburgh Zoo.

Keepers at the wildlife conservation charity say the otters, named Barry and Luna, are becoming more confident every day and enjoy exploring their new enclosure.

Senior carnivore keeper Andrew Laing, said: “Barry and Luna are settling well into their new home and are already very bonded.  

“They were quite shy when they first arrived last month and still like to spend a lot of their morning in their underground holts but in the afternoon, they come out for a dip in their pool and a nosy at what our visitors are up to.

“Luna is the more confident of the two and you can tell her apart from Barry as she has a pink nose and he has a black nose.”

One of the world's smallest otters, the Asian small-clawed otter is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. They are extremely dextrous and use their forepaws to feel for crustaceans and molluscs in mud, rock and vegetation.

The species is found in the wild throughout south-east Asia, the Philippines and Indonesia. In recent years, however, deforestation, agriculture and the overexploitation on prey have seen their populations plummet.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.