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Cites: Trade ban to tackle ‘otter cafes’ craze
The online pet trade has emerged as a pressing threat to otters in Southeast Asia.
Social media ‘fuelling demand for otters as pets’ 

Cites has agreed to ban the international commercial trade in two species of otter, to protect them from being exploited for the pet trade.

Conservationists say there has been a peak in demand for otters as pets in Japan, linked to a growing number of ‘otter cafes’ that allow the public to interact closely with otters and other wild animals.

At the 18th meeting of Cites in Geneva (17-28 August) governments voted to list Asian small-clawed otters and smooth-coated otters on Appendix I, which provides the highest level of trade protection.

Both species are now classed as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN red list, and face a high risk of future extinction due to habitat loss, demand for skins and the pet trade.

Mark Simmonds, senior marine scientist at the Humane Society International (HSI), said the pet trade is increasingly proving to be the “downfall” of Asian small-clawed otters. Interest in these species is thought to be fuelled by photos and videos on social media, resulting in a fast growing market for otters as pets in Asia.

Mr Simmonds welcomed the move to ban international trade in these species, but added: “This isn’t the end of the story however. We urgently need other complementary conservation initiatives to truly tackle the otter’s demise, and so we hope that this new CITES listing will act as a call to action.”

Populations of both species are estimated to have declined by at least 30 per cent in 30 years, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). The Cites trade database shows there were more than 250 seizures of 6,010 individual otters between 1980 and 2018.

Research by TRAFFIC also suggests the online pet trade has emerged as a pressing threat to otters in Southeast Asia. Between 734 and 1,189 otters were listed for sale on social media sites in the region in just four months (January to April 2017). Over 70 per cent of these animals were less than a year old.  
 
HSI/India’s wildlife campaign manager Sumanth Bindumadhav added: “Appendix I listings will send an important and timely warning, not least to online and social media audiences, that these are imperilled species and that trade in them is harmful to their welfare and their overall species survival.

“We hope that it will also lead to additional trade controls, enhanced scrutiny of captive-breeding operations, and aid enforcement, given the challenge in distinguishing between tropical Asian otter species once in trade.”

 

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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. 

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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.