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UK's first ever koala joey
Yooranah on the weighing scales with a toy koala
Yooranah clinging to mum Alinga

He was born the size of a jelly bean and is weighed on "baking scales"

The UK’s first ever koala joey is a boy, keepers at Edinburgh Zoo have announced.

Although he was born in May, keepers have now checked his sex and have named him Yooranah, an indigenous Australian word meaning “loving”.

He was the size of a jelly bean when he was born, and was hairless and blind.

Yooranah currently weighs a petite 632 grams has to be weighed on a digital scale similar to ones used to measure baking ingredients.

Regular weigh-ins are being carried out now that Yooranah is spending most of his time out of the pouch and clinging to mum Alinga’s belly. 

During his weigh in, Yooranah is placed onto a plush toy koala from the Zoo’s gift shop, to give him something to cling on to for stability as well as comfort.

He is putting on around 10 to 11 grams per day and will eventually grow to weigh around 6.5 kilograms (or 14 pounds). Yooranah will move onto the adult’s scale when he is much larger.  

Donald Gow, senior keeper for koalas, primates and hoofstock at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “It’s very exciting to watch Yooranah as he grows.

"This is the first time that a koala joey has been born in the UK so it is amazing to see him develop from being pink and hairless into a fully-formed, if tiny, koala.

"At the moment he seems to be all ears. He has also starting to develop his own personality, he can be quite feisty like his mother Alinga and father Goonaroo.”

Images by Edinburgh Zoo

 

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS annual renewal fee for vets due

RCVS' annual renewal fee for veterinary surgeons is now due. Vets must pay their renewal fee before Wednesday, 1 April 2026.

This year's standard annual fee has increased to 431 from last year's 418. This is an approximately three per cent increase, as approved by RCVS Council and the Privy Council.

Tshidi Gardner, RCVS treasurer, said: "The small fee increase will be used to help deliver both our everyday activities and our new ambitious Strategic Plan, which includes aims such as achieving new legislation, reviewing the Codes of Professional Conduct and supporting guidance, and continuing to support the professions through activities such as the Mind Matters Initiative, RCVS Academy and career development."

A full breakdown of the new fees is on the RCVS website. Information about tax relief is available on the UK government website.