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Colchester Zoo announces birth of white rhino calf
'Emily is a great mum and we're looking forward to watching them bond together as the calf grows.' - Colchester Zoo Animal Care Team

Birth of healthy female captured on CCTV

Colchester Zoo has announced that Emily, one of its white rhinos, has given birth to a healthy female calf. This is Emily’s third calf and is also the fifth to be born at Colchester Zoo as a part of its breeding programme for white rhinos.

The calf was born on Saturday 4 January after a pregnancy lasting 16 months and eight days. The mother was kept under constant CCTV surveillance during her pregnancy so that zoo staff could be on hand as soon as she went into labour.

The birth went smoothly for both mother and calf. The calf took a while to find its feet but was up and walking within a few hours and is feeding well. According to the animal care team’s statement, Emily is ‘an experienced mum and so is taking it all in her stride.’

Mother and calf will now be housed in the indoor area of the rhino house with occasional access to the outdoor hardstands on warmer days. The as yet unnamed calf will gradually be introduced to the rest of the herd as well as the other animals housed in the Kingdom of the Wild enclosure.

White rhinos are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List due to poaching and the ivory trade, and so this birth marks a positive advancement for white rhino conservation efforts.

In the early 1900s only around 20 southern white rhinos remained in the world, but sustained protection and breeding programmes like this one have led to a boost in the population. There are now more than 11,000 white rhinos in the wild and nearly 800 in zoos.

Image (c) Colchester Zoo

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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.