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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 17th October 2012
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Hopes for semi-wild panda
Survival training given to panda released in wild

A giant panda bred in captivity has been released into the wild after receiving special survival training.

The two-year-old male, called Taotao, has been released from a giant panda conservation centre in Sichuan province, China.

Training involved handlers wearing panda suits to prevent Taotao becoming familiar with humans. It is though that the panda now has enough skills to survive and to help increase the threatened panda population.

Taotao is the second panda to be released into the wild since Xiang Xiang, in 2006. Unfortunately, Xiang Xiang died after he got into a fight with wild pandas.

Zhang Hemin, a director at the conservation centre said that, compared to Xiang Xiang, this panda "has lived and grown in semi-wild conditions since he was very little. This means [his] fighting capability and survival skills both improved significantly."

However, despite best hopes, it is not certain that Taotao will be able to survive natural challenges such as other wild animals.

Hemin added: "Taotao is only the second such panda released to nature, and we remain in the experimental stage."

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New form for online veterinary medicines retailers

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has produced a new online form for retailers wishing to sell veterinary medicines on the internet.

The form replace the previous Word version and is part of the VMD's ongoing commitment to digitise its processes. Anyone retailing prescription medicines online, including POM-V, POM-VPS and NFA-VPS categories, is lawfully required to register with the VMD before trading.

The change only applies to new applicants. Retailers already listed on the VMD's Register of Online Retailers or registered under the Accredited Internet Retailer Scheme (AIRS) do not need to do anything.