IN THIS ISSUE:
ACTIVITY DAYS
MEET THE SUMMER 2019 PHOTO COMPETITION WINNERS!
2019
FIRST PLACE! S
TION A L U T A R G CON
! H A O N
Get cool certificates as you gain points – it’s now even easier to win more points to help you reach the top!
ab and Keb f n ti r a M St. out o peeking ts a r e h t ! their bed
At the summer activity day in Dorset, members were joined by our founder and vet adventurer, Luke Gamble! Our members took rides in the Mission Rabies tuk tuk - with Luke behind the wheel! This was a great way for them to get a taste of what it’s like to travel by tuk tuk during one of our dog vaccination drives around the world.
ARTIN AND ITH ST. M W H A O N E PRIZE! HERE’S IRST PLAC F S I H D N KEBAB A
EMMA AND KIKI CAME JOINT 2ND!
EMMA
KIKI Snug as a Bug! My picture is of my Syrian hamster called Marvel, he’s 13 weeks old and is a little bit in love with his toy dog. Marvel likes to snuggle up and go to sleep with it. It makes him very happy to be with his friend!
We found this hedgehog crossing the cycle path on our bike ride home, we watched until she was safely back in the long grass.
Meanwhile some of our lucky members met our ambassador Jess French at our activity day in Norfolk this year. We had great fun meeting farm animals and creepy crawlies as well as learning all about what it is like to be a vet for the day.
250 points = Bronze Award 500 points = Silver Award 1,000 points = Gold Award How to gain points: take part in one of these activities and you’ll be a Young Vet Champion in no time! 200 = Recommend Young Vets Club to a friend 150 = Organise a talk at your school 100 = Hold a fundraising event 75 = Take part in a sponsored event 60 = Make a video about WVS 30 = Make a poster to advertise Young Vets Club 20 = Send in an animal photo, story, joke or poem 20 = Enter one of our competitions 10 = For every pound raised 10 = Send in a letter
Young Vet Champion Leaderboard!
Madeline visited our interactive stall at Pet Fest in August! Madeline and her sister Sophie had fun trying to solve our surgery puzzle.
FLORA’S STORY Donkeys are hard-working animals and are used by people in many parts of the world to do all sorts of jobs. Families rely on their donkeys to earn a living. These donkeys are often used for transport, farming or carrying materials. Our story is about Flora, a young donkey in Tanzania who works for a family carrying bricks to the market.
1. Flora lives with five other donkeys in a small village in the countryside. She and the other donkeys help their owners each day, by pulling a cart full of bricks to the market to be sold.
5. They invited all the donkey owners to a village meeting one evening. They taught the owners about the five welfare needs which donkeys require for a happy and healthy life.
2.The carts are very heavy and rub against the back of their necks, causing painful wounds.
7. Flora’s owner continued treating her wounds until they were healed. He also gave her proper rest times during the day and let her sleep at night.
3. Flora and the other donkeys work for long hours day and night without much rest, meaning their wounds cannot heal.
6. They showed the owners how to care for the wounds and how to prevent more injuries by making special padded cushions for the harness to make them more comfortable.
8. Flora and her friends now have a happy life and the donkey owners are pleased that their donkeys are healthier and can continue working.
4. Vets from Worldwide Veterinary Service visited their village and saw that Flora and the other donkeys were suffering. The vets knew they could help.
By joining WVS and fundraising for us, you are helping animals like Flora all over the world and helping in the mission to champion animal welfare.
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e, alawi and Zimbabw M e, qu bi am oz M h ne Idai swept throug e wind speeds Earlier this year Cyclo d health centres. Th an s ol ho sc s, ad ro idges, e metres of destroying houses, br ll left land under thre fa in ra y av he d an s ) 20mph er recorded. Scientist ev ca fri reached 195kmph (1 A t hi ve ha the worst cyclones to nes, with water. This is one of impact of these cyclo e th g sin ea cr in is change infall. believe that climate levels and heavier ra a se g in ris by ed us land ca flooding of low-lying animals. The t away people and ep sw ts en rr cu g on e lost as str nds, leaving Sadly many lives wer e crops and grassla th g in oy str de , ks ee ly three w floods lasted for near without food. people and animals
untries, The UK, and other co g relief responded by sendin to help teams and supplies disaster. people caught in the d with People were airlifte eas where helicopters to safe ar ankets food, clothes and bl scue tents were handed out. Re ical aid were set up, and med level provided. Sadly, this ven to of suppor t was not gi s. They the surviving animal the few were left stranded on mpletely areas of dr y land, co water. surrounded by flood
but then...
fran came to the rescue...
cked her up in Mozambique!), quickly pa w gre o (wh vet l ma ani ge lar Fran, our new gathered d animals was difficult. They had nde stra the ng chi Rea p. hel to r bags to fly ove took food the affected region. Local teams in int po h hig a , line y lwa rai along the old ugh to il water levels had gone down eno unt ats bo ng usi ls ma ani d nde out to the stra to safer areas. allow the animals to be herded m diarrhoea austed. Many were suf fering fro exh re we y the d, ive arr ls ma ani When the the water. from material floating around in ries inju as ll we as , ms ble pro ing and breath d to help priority, and everyone worked har a s wa fed and dry ls ma ani the Keeping save these suf fering animals. Fran said,
s when we find “I am always left speechles y situations, where ourselves in these emergenc and people are saving the lives of animals ms deployed – it’s the focus of the medical tea save as many as important that we try and ne is taken care of.” possible to make sure everyo
of the Mozambique to assess the state Six months later, Fran returned to of the n. She was shocked to find many animals and the recovery situatio asites and from lung disease, intestinal par sur viving animals were suffering ately of the local vets, Dr Bila, immedi untreated wounds. Fran and one s. tics, antiparasitic drugs and vaccine began treating animals with antibio weaker dressings. Food was given to the They cleaned wounds and applied oil and d with high energy local food like animals and this was supplemente animals hard and treated more than 100 beans. Dr Bila and Fran worked and pigs, chicken, guinea fowl, dogs every day, including oxen, goats, cover a to village but were only able to cats. They travelled from village week that they were there. tenth of the affected area in the
animals that need help and there There are still large numbers of locally, so this is where WVS are not enough vets or resources not stop now. These animals can help. Fran told us, “We can help them win the battle. All it fought to live and now we must a few medical treatments, and takes is some love and care and ir feet!” they will be bouncing back on the reading this. heading out right now as you sit are ms tea so e, enc ess the of is Time asters to treat farm animals in natural dis how on s vet al loc g inin tra o als is Fran Many lessons next time an emergency occurs. the red pa pre are y the so , this like we help the and many more will be learnt as es, tim d har se the ing dur rnt lea were Veterinary feet. But this is what Worldwide ir the on ck ba get ls ma ani ing sur viv on the ls in some of the toughest places ma ani ting trea – out ab all is e Ser vic planet!
the wildlife Thailand has wonderful wildlife and is home to 10% of the world’s animals. It is home to over 285 kinds of mammals including tigers, leopards, elephants, Malaysian sun bears, gibbons and monkeys. There are more than 850 species of birds and loads of reptiles and amphibians. There are 176 species of snake alone! Sadly, the animal populations are getting smaller as the rainforests are cut down and poachers continue to illegally hunt these animals. Several animals are now endangered, including the Asian elephant, tiger and hornbill. Larger mammals like elephants and tigers are suffering most. 100 years ago, there were 100,000 elephants in the country; now there are just an estimated 2,000 left in the wild. There are laws to help protect the animals – Thailand has established more than 100 national parks and a number of special wildlife parks and non-hunting areas to help these animals survive.
COUNTRY PROFILE:
THAILAND
WVS work in a city calle d Chiang Mai which is in the very north of Thailand and close to the border with a country calle d Myanmar. Chiang Mai is a city full of beautifu l temples and is surrounde d by mountains. In Chiang Mai, WVS ha ve an International Traini ng Centre (ITC) and dog shelter which cares for lots of rescued animals.
in thailand
fact file: Capital: Bangkok King: Maha Vajiralongkorn Area: 513,115 square kilometres Population: 69 million Official money: Thai baht Life expectancy: 75 Favourite sports: Thai boxing, Football, Kite flying Major religions: 90% Buddhist, with the rest following Islam, Christianity or Hinduism
WVS helps by:
• Training local vets and vet nurses so the y can treat animals. Students also join the se courses from other countries. • Sterilising dogs so they don’t have unwa nted puppies who are abandoned. • Providing emergenc y and long-term care for abandoned or injured dogs living on the streets in Chiang Mai. • Finding good local homes for these do gs. Ever y home is visited first and we ma ke sure that the new ow ners have all the information they need to train and look af ter the dogs. • Working with loc al villages near the elephant sanctuaries, to protect dogs and Meet Pim! cats from diseases su ch as rabies and stop Pim is our newest member of them passing these on to the elephants. staff on the Young Vets Club • Working with schools around Chiang Mai to Team. Pim has a passion teach children about been an imal welfare. for animals and has
things you might
not know about
thailand Thailand is a very friendly and beautiful country, making it a popular tourist destination. Religion is also very important to the people of Thailand. The main religion is Buddhism and many boys and young men become monks for a short time in their lives. This is also shown by the large number of stunning temples. Here are some cool things you may not know about Thailand: • Thailand has over 1,430 islands. • One fifth of Thailand is covered by rainforests (but it used to be much more!) • Thailand’s national symbol is the elephant. • Siamese cats originated in Thailand where they are called Wichian Mat. • Thailand is the world’s largest producer of pineapples.
meet
Pim!
working with the dogs in the Thai shelter as well as preparing lessons to teach children in Chiang Mai.
mobilising our ve ts:
WVS is working ha rd to reduce the nu mber of homeless puppies and kittens in and around Chian g Mai. Sterilising cats and dogs is th e best way to do th is. We run a projec working with comm t unities and animal w el fa re groups in the wider region su rrounding Chiang M ai – th is helps us reach as many anim als as possible! We ha ve a for the whole year schedule so we can go to as m an y pl ac group we work w es as possible. One ith is called “Four Le gg ed Fr ie for dog lovers in nds”. This is a club a place called Pa i w hi ch he lps animals in smal mountain villages th l at are hard to reac h. W e ha ve ever y year to keep w or ke d w ith them the dog and cat po pulation under co make sure all the an nt rol and imals can be cared for.
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!
IT’S GAME TIME! 1
CAN YOU
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MATCH THE ANIMAL TO THEIR HOME
B
ON THE RIGHT?
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ACROSS
7) The definition of an animal at risk of becoming extinct. (10) 8) The group name for tortoises. (5) 9) The most intelligent marine mammal. (7) 10) This animal kills about 500 people a year in Africa. (12) 11) The name given to animals that find and feed on dead animals, plants or rubbish. (9) 12) Tortoises need to absorb this from the sun for strong bones. (5,6) Hint: Most clues for the answers can be found in this magazine. Answers are on the back page.
DOWN
1) The most fearless animal according to the Guinness Book of Records. (5,6) 2) The body of a dead animal. (7) 3) Group of vertebrates that are scaly animals which are cold blooded and lay their eggs on land. (8) 4) This eight legged sea creature is able to change shape to fool its predators. (7) 5) Some animals do this is winter. They go into a dormant state where their breathing slows and temperature drops. (9) 6) Largest species of tortoise. (9)
RAISE A POUND
Fundraising is a great way to help us treat animals
FOR A
every £1 you raise you will earn 10 points towards
HOUND
all over the world. It can be great fun and for becoming a Young Vet Champion.
GET QUIZZY! Organise a quiz night.
GET CREATIVE! GET INSPIRED!
The children at Breamore School had great fun making dog biscuits and selling these to parents and teachers who owned dogs. They raised a total of £54 for animals in need and even shared their recipes with us below. Have a go at making some delicious dog treats yourself!
GET ACTIVE!
What you will need: • 320g oats • 1 egg • 120ml beef broth or beef stock • A bone-shaped cutter is fun for these, but not essential!
& HAVE FUN!
You will need: • A cereal box •
Grey Paint (or mix white and black together!)
Instructions 1. Cut off the flaps on the top of the cereal box. Keep one of the pieces of card for the elephant’s trunk. 2. Open the bottom of the cereal box and cut off these flaps too.
• Paint brush • Googly eyes • A pair of scissors • Black pen
Banana Barkies What you will need: • 225g oats • 1/2 banana • 30g plain Greek yogurt • 1 egg Instructions:
1. Make sure you have an adult with you to help you use the oven.
1. Make sure you have an adult with you to help you use the oven.
2. Mix all the ingredients together until you have a consistency that you can roll out and cut shapes from.
2. Mix the egg, mashed banana and yogurt together.
4. Bake for 20 minutes at 180ºC and then leave to cool for 30 mins and your tasty doggy treats will be ready for your fourlegged friend!
Use different size boxes and you could create a whole herd!
• Glue
Instructions:
3. Have more stock or oats available to adjust your mixture as this recipe isn’t an exact science! You may need to add more oats if it’s too runny or add more stock if it is too thick.
Make this cute 3D elephant out of an old cereal box!
Do a sponsored walk, ride or swim.
Run a bake off competition and Whatever you choose, have fun and know that the money you raise will then sell the baked goods! be helping to care for animals who really need it.
Beefy Bones
CRAFTY ELEPHANTS
3. Add the oats in gradually until you have a dough-like consistency that you can roll into balls. 4. Place your dough balls on a baking tray and using a fork, make criss-cross patterns to flatten slightly. 5. Bake for 15 minutes at 180ºC and then leave to cool. The egg in the mix will give them a nice golden colour!
Competition Time! Show your imagination and creative skills for a chance to win an awesome prize and gain points towards becoming a Young Vet Champion!
What other animals could you make? Design and make a different animal from an old cereal box. It can be any animal that’s alive today, from a lion or hedgehog, to a peacock or an octopus. Go wild and see what you can make! Once you have made your model then take a photograph and ask an adult to email it to us at youngvetsclub@wvs.org.uk with your name and age.
Closing date:
How to send us the money you have raised: (Ask an adult for help!)
Friday 27th March 2020
BY POST: Send your donations, along with any sponsorship forms, to: WVS, 4 Castle Street, Cranborne, BH21 5PZ. Please make cheques payable to Worldwide Veterinary Service. ONLINE: Visit www.youngvetsclub.com, stating your name and what you have done in the comments section.
We can’t wait to see your creations!
3. Use the black pen to draw an arch on each side of the bottom of the box as shown in the images and cut these out to make the elephant’s legs.
4. Now use the pen to draw on the shape of the elephant’s head and ears. The ears will be on the side and back of the box.
6. Cut across the back of the box as shown below to complete your elephant shape.
5. Cut around the outlines of the head and ears but be careful not to cut them off the box completely.
7. Paint everything grey and leave it to dry.
8. Cut out a trunk shape from one of the spare pieces of cardboard. 9. Curl one end of the cardboard trunk and glue it to the middle of the box. 10. Finally glue two googly eyes on top of the trunk. If you don’t have googly eyes you can draw some eyes on paper and stick them on.
al to l ab rto ou ise t s: ty to pes rto of ise s:
Many people often get confused between tortoises and turtles but tortoises are in fact a type of turtle. One difference between them is that tortoises live on land whereas most turtles live in water, only coming on land to lay their eggs. Tortoises also have fused feet, similar to elephants, whereas turtles have webbed feet. Tortoises are usually herbivores eating grass, flowers, fruit and leaves.
There are 60 species of tortoise living today. The smallest tortoise is the Speckled Cape Tortoise which can be found in South Africa. It is so small it can be held in the palm of your hand and grows to 6-10cm. The Galapagos Tortoise, found on the Galapagos Islands, is the other extreme, reaching up to a massive 150cm long – that’s the average height of a 12 year old child!
facts A group of tortoises is called a creep. A tortoise’s shell is made of 60 different bones. Some tortoises hibernate in winter but not all do. In 1968, a pair of tortoises went to space in a Russian spacecraft and circled the moon. Both survived! Tortoises can’t swim but they can hold their breath for a long time.
Tortoises are one of the world’s oldest reptiles. They have a bony shell covering their body to protect them from predators and can pull their head, legs and tail into the shell when they feel threatened. Like all reptiles, tortoises are cold blooded animals, absorbing warmth from their environment. They are more active in the day when it is warmer.
?
? ?
? do
Tortoises are not the pet for everyone:
is a long-term commitment. Tortoises are not cuddly pets sunshine to stay healthy. Indoor tortoises
Tortoises are a need to be kept under special UV lights specialist species to To be legally UV is essential for tortoises to make keep as a pet and are owned as pets Vitamin D to absorb calcium which not for everyone. Though they must come is vital to helping their bones they can make interesting pets, with official papers and shell grow. potential owners need to make and be microchipped sure they do plenty of research once large so that they can provide enough. the correct diet, housing and care.
THE HERMANN’S TORTOISE LATIN NAME: Testudo hermanni
tortoises pets?
Our Vet Nurse Lulu owns two Hermann’s tortoises called Elsa-Daisy and Mabel. This is what she says about them:
Three of the tortoises most commonly kept as pets are the Spur Thighed, or Greek Tortoise, Hermann’s Tortoise and Marginated Tortoise. These tortoises are on the species Red List as ‘near threatened’ because their numbers are going down in the wild. One reason is that they are taken by poachers for the pet trade. If you are thinking of buying a tortoise it is important to make sure it is captive bred.
time so owning a tortoise
and they need to get outside into the
Hermann’s Tortoises are a good tortoise for beginners as they cope well with the UK climate, are quite sociable and can be handled.
make good
Tortoises live for a long
ING CARA FOR HERMANN’S TORTOISES
Elsa-Daisy and Mabel came to me as hatchlings after being born at a rescue centre. They are only four years old so have many years ahead
Hibernati
of them and still have a lot of growing to do. They are currently just the size of a palm of an adult hand but will grow up to about 20 cm when adults. Elsa-Daisy and Mabel have both got quite individual characters and both love a good bath and chin tickle. Housing:
t: nd Hea Light a ises n’s Tor to n a m r e H mp asking la b a d e e n for ource on s t a e h r o a day to 12 hours y ood bod keep a g ng with ture, alo a r e p m te intain ht to ma a UV lig hell ne and s good bo n. conditio
ises Hermann’s Torto ooden require a large w suitable tortoise table or ty of vivarium with plen space living and hiding to bury and soil or moss aisy down into. Elsa-D y going and Mabel enjo re area outside in a secu warm in the garden on summer days.
Diet: Hermann’s Tortoises are herbivores and their diet should include grasses, weeds, salad and vegetables. Their food must be sprinkled with calcium daily and with special multivitamins once a week. Water must be available at all times and must be deep enough for the tortoise to be able to take a bath, but not too deep as they aren’t great swimmers.
on: In the wild Hermann’s Tortoises h ibernate du ring the cold win ter months. In captivity tortoises ca n stay awake all year if th e temperature is kept high , or they can be hiberna te d for up to fo ur months w h ich gives their body a rest . This must be do ne properly , or it can be ve ry dangero us for the anim al. Tortoise s need to be healthy and a big enough size. Elsa-D aisy and Mabel haven’t yet hibernated because th ey are too sm all.
india’s vultures Vultures are large birds of prey. They are scavengers which means they feed mainly on the remains of dead animals, called carrion. Most vultures have a bald head and neck to stop their feathers getting damaged and dirty when they feed on carcasses. Vultures get a bad reputation because of the way they look and what they eat, but they are fascinating birds. They are amazing flyers and have excellent long distance vision to look out for food below them. They also play an important role in nature, getting rid of dead animals which would otherwise spread disease. There are nine species of vulture found in India and sadly, five of these are now critically endangered. The number of vultures in India has gone down from 40 million to about 100,000 in just 30 years.
WHY ARE
VULTURES ENDANGERED? India used to be a great place for vultures to live. In India, cows are considered sacred by Hindus so are not eaten and are left in open areas when they die. They are then fed on by vultures, meaning there is always plenty of food for them. In 1990, a veterinary drug was introduced to be used by farmers as a cheap way to treat cows for lameness or fever. When vultures feed on the carcases of cows treated with this drug it enters their bodies causing kidney failure. This is thought to be the main reason for the devastating drop in the number of vultures. In 2006, the drug was banned in India but sadly it is still being used illegally in some places.
did you know... • A group of vultures is known as a flock but can also be called a venue, volt or a committee. When they are feeding around a carcass they are known as a wake of vultures! • Vultures urinate on their legs to cool themselves down but the urine also acts as a disinfectant, killing harmful bacteria due to its high acid content. • Vultures have very strong acid in their stomachs which helps kill bacteria but also helps break down the bones they eat which make up over 70% of their diet. • Vultures are especially adapted to fly at heights where the oxygen levels are very low. The Ruppell’s griffon vulture can reach over 11 kilometres into the sky! • The first Saturday of September is now dedicated to celebrating International Vulture Awareness Day.
why india’s indigenous vultures are important Vultures are a very important part of the food chain. They are very efficient feeders and a group of vultures can strip a carcass in 20 minutes. With vulture numbers going down, animal carcasses are left lying around to rot, causing a greater risk of diseases spreading. This has led to an increase in other scavengers, such as rats and stray dogs because there is more food for them. Rats are known to carry many diseases such as the plague. Dogs also carry diseases including rabies. Twenty thousand humans die of rabies every year due to infected dog bites. Therefore the decrease in vulture numbers has indirectly caused thousands of human deaths. The Parsi people in India have another unexpected problem caused by the lack of vultures. Parsi choose not to bury or cremate their dead because they believe this pollutes nature. Instead they have a sky burial where the dead bodies are left to be consumed by scavenger birds – these are mainly vultures. With the lack of vultures, the Parsi people are having to change their traditions.
Dead or rotting flesh The body of a dead animal An animal that finds and feeds on dead animals, plants or rubbish Group of people who follow the prophet Zoroaster, originally from Persia
glossary CARRION CARCASS SCAVENGER PARSI
This bird has a sneaky way of catching its prey. It spreads its wings to make an umbrella over the water creating a dark area. This helps the heron see into the water. The fish below are fooled into thinking it is night-time or that they are in a safe, shady area and come out of their hiding place. The heron will then stab at the fish with its long beak.
DOLPHIN
Dolphins are one of the world’s smartest animals. They can solve tricky problems and communicate with each other incredibly well. Mothers pass on things they have learnt to their offspring, which helps the dolphins continue to learn more things.
BLACK heron
They have highly developed, large brains relative to their body size. They are the only marine animal to recognise themselves in a mirror and have similar intelligence to chimpanzees. Dolphins have had a close relationship with people for thousands of years. Some work with fishermen to help them catch meerkats
fish and there are lots of stories of dolphins rescuing humans in the ocean.
LEAST WEASEL
The least weasel is the smallest
carnivore, being only the size of
a hamster, but it makes up for its size by being a ferocious hunter. It can kill a rabbit five times its size by biting into its jugular vein (in the neck) to drain the blood. They have 34 extremely sharp teeth and are incredibly flexible, being able to change direction in very tight spaces. They are known to perform a “weasel war dance” which is a series of twists and leaps – an incredible sight!
animals with
meerkats
attitude
meerkats
HONEY BADGER
The honey badger is an animal with a lot of attitude. It is listed as the most fearless animal in the Guinness Book of Records. Although it’s only the size of a small dog, the honey badger has been known to chase off lions from a kill, so it is not surprising that predators tend to avoid a honey badger as much as possible. Honey badgers have sharp teeth and claws. They will attack even the most venomous snakes and seem immune to their bites. As well as this, they are highly intelligent and have an incredibly thick, tough skin to protect them.
Meet some of the animals that
These birds can put on quite a dance show. The
put the WILD in
grebe’s tango is considered to be a wonder of the natural world and would certainly win them straight
wildlife! meerkats
10’s on Strictly Come Dancing. They perform this amazing courtship dance to secure a mate, which
In this exciting edition you can see all of the Young Vets Club action that’s been going on this summer. Take a look at the winning photos of our photo competition, read about Jess French’s visit to our activity day and find out about our vet Fran’s epic rescue journey! This issue has lots of games, crafts and fundraising ideas to keep you busy on a dark winter’s evening! Why not get crafty and enter our next competition which you can find on page 17. We love to hear from you so please share your photos, stories and letters…and don’t forget this will gain you points towards being a Young Vet Champion!
*DON’T WORRY PARENTS, THE HANDBRAKE WAS FIRMLY ON THE WHOLE TIME.
For this August activity day, we had great fun meeting loads of different animals, dressing up some carrying outDAY! ACTIVITY as vets and for the first time, games g excitin these fake operations! In between we even had the opportunity to ride in the mighty Mission Rabies tuk tuk and see some of the wonderful wildlife the New Forest has to offer!
DORSEST
they will then stay with for many years. In this remarkable dance, the grebes run on the water with their feet moving super-fast! They can do 20 steps a second with their wings held in such a way that it provides them with lift, so they stay on top of the water.
OCTOPUS
The octopus is a very clever creature.
meerkats They are the only invertebrate to use tools
and they use all sorts of tricks to protect
HELLO, YOUNG VET ADVENTURER! What a wonderful year we’ve had. Have you had many animal adventures? I have! I was particularly excited to get the chance to meet some of you on our activity days. We cuddled chicks, bandaged dog legs, groomed horses and even performed some pretend operations. It was brilliant to see so many of you getting excited about animals and how to look after them. I’m already looking forward to next year! Winter is approaching fast, and as the days get shorter and colder, animals are rushing about collecting food, ready to snuggle up out of the cold. Don’t forget to look after your local wildlife by putting out food for the birds and leaving some areas in the garden with piles of leaves and sticks where animals can hide, rest and hibernate. There are still plenty of adventures to be had outside – just make sure you wear the right clothes to keep you warm and dry. But if you fancy an adventure of a different kind, and want to do some snuggling up of your own, then you might like to settle down with my new book ‘Lost Species’, which is all about the incredible animals that once roamed the Earth. Whatever you decide, happy adventuring!
JESS XX
Clark’s Grebe
With so many fascinating animals in the natural world, let’s introduce you to some who have BIG personalities, whatever their size!
themselves from predators. They will place shells over their lair to hide, produce black ink to dull a predator’s sense of smell, and they can even change shape to blend in with their surroundings or look like other meerkats
animals. The mimic octopus is the real meerkats
master of disguise. It can impersonate a banded sea snake when it is threatened by the damselfish to save itself from attack. These clever creatures have been seen mimicking 15 different sea animals including lionfish, sting rays and giant crabs.
Capybaras are large rodents and there are claims that these are the friendliest animals on the planet. When kept in captivity, they have
CAPYBARA
MEERKAT
Meerkats must be one of the world’s most sociable
bonded with all sorts of animals from dogs
animals. They live in groups of up to 50 in burrows
and kittens to ducks, monkeys and deer. In the
which they all help to dig and guard. Meerkats will
wild, they are highly social animals. They are
groom each other to remove ticks and to strengthen
peaceful and friendly towards all animals in
their bond. Teamwork is essential - meerkats help
their habitat which would explain their ease
each other out and do everything for the good of
in bonding with so many animals. Capybara
the group. For example, one meerkat will stand
are semi-aquatic and can stay underwater
guard whilst others in the group look for food and
for 5 whole minutes – they can even sleep in
meerkats will babysit any young in the group, not
water as long as their nostrils stay just above.
just their own. They will protect the young from any
This helps protect them from predators such as
threat, even if it puts their own life in danger.
jaguars and anacondas.