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Rare white tiger cub born at Nicaragua zoo
The female cub has been named Nieves which means 'snow' in Spanish.

Cub being raised by humans after mother rejected it

A white tiger cub has been born to two yellow and black Bengal tigers at the National Zoo of Nicaragua.

According to the BBC, the female cub – named Nieves (snow in Spanish) – is just over a week old now. She is the first white tiger to have been born in the country.

The cub's mother, Dalila, who was rescued from a circus five years ago, rejected the cub and could not produce milk to feed her.

Nieves is now being hand-raised by the zoo director's wife, Marina Argüello, who feeds the cub warm goat's milk every three hours.

According to the WWF, white tigers get their colour from the expression of a recessive gene. They are found only among the Bengal tiger species and none are currently known to exist in the wild.

Nieve's mother was known to carry this recessive gene, which she inherited from her father – another white Bengal tiger.

White tigers are frequently inbred to maintain their unique fur colour. However, this inbreeding can lead to a number of deformities and health problems.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."