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The Wildest Hide & Seek
Hedgehogs are one of the animals focused on in the survey.
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust are launching a nationwide experiment - the UK’s Wildest Hide & Seek - to look at the effects wetlands may have on the range of wildlife found nearby. 

The trust is inviting everyone to take part in this simple survey by searching your gardens, parks or allotment for 14 ‘barometer’ species.

Everyone is encouraged to take part and survey a local public or private green space, whether or not there’s a pond, stream, bog or any other wetland nearby. You don’t need to be a wildlife expert or have a garden of your own. We just need you to spend one hour doing the survey between Friday 21 May and Monday 31 May. A guide and form is available to download at wwt.org.uk/hideandseek or free to collect from any WWT Wetland Centre.

The 14 species that are the focus of the survey include those that we wouldn’t normally think of as dependent on ponds, such as grass snake, swallow, bat as well as thrush and hedgehog. All are familiar and fairly easy to identify and they cover a range of fauna: mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates. Over time the survey will show whether local wildlife is disappearing or moving to other areas, and the role small wetlands might be playing in providing wildlife corridors across the country.

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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
Bluetongue RZ extended across Scotland

The Scottish Government has announced an extension to a Bluetongue Restricted Zone that is in place in south-west Scotland.

From 3 October, the Restricted Zone will be extended to cover the whole of Scotland. The Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA) says this is in response to further disease spread, as well as simplify trading conditions ahead of the autumn.

Since the whole country will share a disease status, it will no longer be necessary to have a movement license to move susceptible livestock around the country. Restrictions on germinal products remain.

As of 1 October 2026, there were 1,979 cases of BTV-3 in England, 389 cases in Wales and 40 cases in Scotland.