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Ferlavirus-related deaths in a collection of viperid snakes (2018)
Journal Article
Flach, E. J., Dagleish, M. P., Feltrer, Y., Gill, I. S., Marschang, R. E., Masters, N., Orós, J., Pocknell, A., Rendle, M. E., Strike, T., Tapley, B., & Wheelhouse, N. M. (2018). Ferlavirus-related deaths in a collection of viperid snakes. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 49(4), 983-995. https://doi.org/10.1638/2017-0223.1

Between June and October 2013 26 snakes of six viperid species kept in two adjoining rooms died (n = 16) or were euthanized on medical (1) or welfare grounds (9). Two were from the main zoo collection, but the other 24 had been imported and quarantin... Read More about Ferlavirus-related deaths in a collection of viperid snakes.

Visitor Perceptions of Captive, Endangered Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus) Used as Photo Props in Jemaa El Fna Square, Marrakech, Morocco (2018)
Journal Article
Stazaker, K., & Mackinnon, J. (2018). Visitor Perceptions of Captive, Endangered Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus) Used as Photo Props in Jemaa El Fna Square, Marrakech, Morocco. Anthrozoös, 31(6), 761-776. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927936.2018.1529360

15 Visitors to Jemaa El Fna Square can pay to have their photograph taken with Barbary 16 macaques. Our aim was to characterise visitors' perceptions of such photo props, 17 enabling demand-reducing interventions to be targeted appropriately and dest... Read More about Visitor Perceptions of Captive, Endangered Barbary Macaques (Macaca sylvanus) Used as Photo Props in Jemaa El Fna Square, Marrakech, Morocco.

Urinary specific gravity as an alternative for the normalisation of endocrine metabolite concentrations in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) reproductive monitoring (2018)
Journal Article
Wauters, J., Wilson, K. S., Bouts, T., Valentine, I., Vanderschueren, K., Ververs, C., Howie, A. F., Rae, M. T., Van Soom, A., Li, R., Li, D., Zhang, H., & Vanhaecke, L. (2018). Urinary specific gravity as an alternative for the normalisation of endocrine metabolite concentrations in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) reproductive monitoring. PLOS ONE, 13(7), Article e0201420. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0201420

Reproductive monitoring for captive breeding in giant pandas is based on behavioural observation and non-invasive hormone analysis. In urine, interpretation of results requires normalisation due to an animal’s changing hydration. Correction of urinar... Read More about Urinary specific gravity as an alternative for the normalisation of endocrine metabolite concentrations in giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) reproductive monitoring.

Pollinator importance networks illustrate the crucial value of bees in a highly speciose plant community (2017)
Journal Article
Ballantyne, G., Baldock, K. C. R., Rendell, L., & Willmer, P. (2017). Pollinator importance networks illustrate the crucial value of bees in a highly speciose plant community. Scientific Reports, 7(1), Article 8389. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-08798-x

Accurate predictions of pollination service delivery require a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between plants and flower visitors. To improve measurements of pollinator performance underlying such predictions, we surveyed visitation f... Read More about Pollinator importance networks illustrate the crucial value of bees in a highly speciose plant community.

Biased escorts: offspring sex, not relatedness explains alloparental care patterns in a cooperative breeder (2017)
Journal Article
Vitikainen, E. I. K., Marshall, H. H., Thompson, F. J., Sanderson, J. L., Bell, M. B. V., Gilchrist, J. S., Hodge, S. J., Nichols, H. J., & Cant, M. A. (2017). Biased escorts: offspring sex, not relatedness explains alloparental care patterns in a cooperative breeder. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1854), 20162384. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2384

Kin selection theory predicts that animals should direct costly care where inclusive fitness gains are highest. Individuals may achieve this by directing care at closer relatives, yet evidence for such discrimination in vertebrates is equivocal. We i... Read More about Biased escorts: offspring sex, not relatedness explains alloparental care patterns in a cooperative breeder.

Explaining negative kin discrimination in a cooperative mammal society (2017)
Journal Article
Thompson, F. J., Cant, M. A., Marshall, H. H., Vitikainen, E. I. K., Sanderson, J. L., Nichols, H. J., Gilchrist, J. S., Bell, M. B. V., Young, A. J., Hodge, S. J., & Johnstone, R. A. (2017). Explaining negative kin discrimination in a cooperative mammal society. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(20), 5207-5212. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1612235114

Kin selection theory predicts that, where kin discrimination is possible, animals should typically act more favorably toward closer genetic relatives and direct aggression toward less closely related individuals. Contrary to this prediction, we prese... Read More about Explaining negative kin discrimination in a cooperative mammal society.

Evidence of oxidative shielding of offspring in a wild mammal (2016)
Journal Article
Vitikainen, E. I. K., Cant, M. A., Sanderson, J. L., Mitchell, C., Nichols, H. J., Marshall, H. H., Thompson, F. J., Gilchrist, J. S., Hodge, S. J., Johnstone, R. A., & Blount, J. D. (2016). Evidence of oxidative shielding of offspring in a wild mammal. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 4, Article 58. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2016.00058

Oxidative damage has been proposed as a potential mechanism underlying a life history tradeoff between survival and reproduction. However, evidence that reproduction is associated with increased oxidative damage is equivocal, and some studies have fo... Read More about Evidence of oxidative shielding of offspring in a wild mammal.

Changes of bat species composition over altitudinal gradients on northern and southern aspects of the Soutpansberg mountain range, South Africa. (2016)
Journal Article
Weier, S. M., Linden, V. M., Gaigher, I., White, P. J., & Taylor, P. J. (2017). Changes of bat species composition over altitudinal gradients on northern and southern aspects of the Soutpansberg mountain range, South Africa. Mammalia, 81(1), https://doi.org/10.1515/mammalia-2015-0055

In order to gain insight into the pattern of bat species composition over altitude and the environmental variables driving the observed pattern, we compared data from moist southern and drier northern aspects of the Soutpansberg range in northern Sou... Read More about Changes of bat species composition over altitudinal gradients on northern and southern aspects of the Soutpansberg mountain range, South Africa..

Legalities of treating wildlife in UK veterinary practice (2016)
Journal Article
Fraser, M., & Girling, S. (2016). Legalities of treating wildlife in UK veterinary practice. Veterinary Nurse, 7(3), 140-147. https://doi.org/10.12968/vetn.2016.7.3.140

Many different species of wildlife will be presented to veterinary practices. In addition to providing care for these patients, veterinary nurses need to be aware of the legal aspects that apply. Legislation relating to wildlife species is particular... Read More about Legalities of treating wildlife in UK veterinary practice.

Reproductive competition triggers mass eviction in cooperative banded mongooses (2016)
Journal Article
Thompson, F. J., Marshall, H. H., Sanderson, J. L., Vitikainen, E. I. K., Nichols, H. J., Gilchrist, J. S., Young, A. J., Hodge, S. J., & Cant, M. A. (2016). Reproductive competition triggers mass eviction in cooperative banded mongooses. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283(1826), 20152607. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2607

In many vertebrate societies, forced eviction of group members is an important determinant of population structure, but little is known about what triggers eviction. Three main explanations are: (i) the reproductive competition hypothesis, (ii) the c... Read More about Reproductive competition triggers mass eviction in cooperative banded mongooses.

Veterinary Nurse training in the UK (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Cooper, B., & Smith, D. (2015, November). Veterinary Nurse training in the UK. Presented at 7th Kerala Veterinary Science Congress

Veterinary Nursing in the UK is still a relatively young profession. Whilst it is known that there were animal nurses in existence in the late 1800’s the role and title ‘Veterinary Nurse’ has only been fully
recognised since 1984. Opportunities to t... Read More about Veterinary Nurse training in the UK.

Regulations relating to Registered Veterinary Nurses in the United Kingdom. (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Smith, D., & Copper, B. (2015, November). Regulations relating to Registered Veterinary Nurses in the United Kingdom. Presented at 7th Kerala Veterinary Science Congress

Veterinary nursing is now a well recognise professional route in the UK. There is considerable capacity within the industry to increase the number of veterinary nurses employed. As the veterinary care sector of the economy continues to expand the r... Read More about Regulations relating to Registered Veterinary Nurses in the United Kingdom..

Ensuring standards of clinical care provided by veterinary nurses through regulation, registration and accredited training. (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution
Smith, D., Dougherty, K., & Yates, K. (2015, November). Ensuring standards of clinical care provided by veterinary nurses through regulation, registration and accredited training. Presented at 7th Kerala Veterinary Science Congress

The gestation of veterinary nursing as a recognised and self-regulated profession in the United Kingdom can be best described as long and difficult. Caught between the twin expectations and anxieties of the well-established professions of nursing an... Read More about Ensuring standards of clinical care provided by veterinary nurses through regulation, registration and accredited training..

An acute outbreak of equine dysautonomia (equine grass sickness) in a group of eight Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus [caballus] przewalskii) (2015)
Journal Article
Girling, S. J., Fraser, M. A., Richardson, D., Harley, J., Ireland, J. L., Naylor, A., & Milne, E. (2017). An acute outbreak of equine dysautonomia (equine grass sickness) in a group of eight Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus [caballus] przewalskii). Equine Veterinary Education, 29(7), 358-361. https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.12493

Equine grass sickness (EGS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting grazing equids of which a single case of the chronic clinical presentation has previously been reported in a Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus [caballus] przewalskii). A group of 8 Pr... Read More about An acute outbreak of equine dysautonomia (equine grass sickness) in a group of eight Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus [caballus] przewalskii).

Rattus management is essential for population persistence in a critically endangered passerine: combining small-scale field experiments and population modelling. (2015)
Journal Article
Maggs, G., Nicoll, M., Zuël, N., White, P. J. C., Winfield, E., Poongavanan, S., Tatayah, V., Jones, C. G., & Norris, K. (2015). Rattus management is essential for population persistence in a critically endangered passerine: combining small-scale field experiments and population modelling. Biological Conservation, 191, 274-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.06.039

Invasive species are a major threat for island biodiversity, causing species decline and extinction globally. Of all invasive mammals rats are one of the most detrimental and have been the target of numerous control and eradication programmes. In Mau... Read More about Rattus management is essential for population persistence in a critically endangered passerine: combining small-scale field experiments and population modelling..

Eurasian lynx natal den site and maternal home-range selection in multi-use landscapes of Norway: Habitat selection by denning Eurasian lynx (2015)
Journal Article
White, S., Briers, R. A., Bouyer, Y., Odden, J., & Linnell, J. D. C. (2015). Eurasian lynx natal den site and maternal home-range selection in multi-use landscapes of Norway: Habitat selection by denning Eurasian lynx. Journal of Zoology, 297(2), 87-98. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12260

In carnivores, securing suitable den sites with associated early maternal home ranges is important for successful reproduction, and understanding natal den site selection is essential to ensure that these habitats are protected from human disturbance... Read More about Eurasian lynx natal den site and maternal home-range selection in multi-use landscapes of Norway: Habitat selection by denning Eurasian lynx.

Haematology and Serum Biochemistry Parameters and Variations in the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) (2015)
Journal Article
Girling, S. J., Campbell-Palmer, R., Pizzi, R., Fraser, M. A., Cracknell, J., Arnemo, J., & Rosell, F. (2015). Haematology and Serum Biochemistry Parameters and Variations in the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber). PLOS ONE, 10(6), Article e0128775. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0128775

Haematology parameters (N = 24) and serum biochemistry parameters (N = 35) were determined for wild Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber), between 6 months – 12 years old. Of the population tested in this study, N = 18 Eurasian beavers were from Norway and... Read More about Haematology and Serum Biochemistry Parameters and Variations in the Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber).

Vet nursing students find out more about guide dogs. (2014)
Journal Article
Fraser, M. (2014). Vet nursing students find out more about guide dogs. Vet Times,

Veterinary nursing students at Edinburgh Napier University have been finding out about guide dogs and some of the problems visually impaired people face