Rangelands are increasingly becoming arid and cause reductions in palatable forage availability. This influences livestock daily gains, which may reduce their body weights. This study assesses how aridity gradients and alien invasive plants affect the feeding behaviour of cattle (Bos taurus) in communal rangelands of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The objectives of this study are to determine the availability of vegetation in the feeding sites against utilisation by cattle from two contrasting rangelands (Manzaneni and Madwaleni). We used direct observations to determine the feeding behaviour of cattle in the dry season. A total of 30 cattle were observed per study site. The preliminary results show that cattle feed on a limited selection of plants in the dry season, including toxic alien invasive plants (Parthenium hysterophorus and Lantana camara). Parthenium hysterophorus contributed about 3% to the diet of cattle in Manzaneni, while L. camara contributed about 1% to the diet of cattle in Madwaleni. Manzaneni was the most invaded by P. hysterophorus (11%), while Madwaleni feeding sites appeared to be less invaded, i.e., Lantana camara (2%) and P. hysterophorus (1%). Consumption of the toxic invasive species may compromise the health of animals or lead to death when consumed for long periods. The losses imposed by invasive plants to small-scale farmers may be significant.

Non-invasive methodologies are emerging as essential ethical alternatives in wildlife research, especially when studying threatened or elusive species. Traditional capture-based protocols, although scientifically valuable, can induce physiological stress, disrupt natural behavior and increase the risk of injury or mortality. These impacts raise ethical concerns regarding researcher’s moral obligations to minimize harm while generating reliable data. Non-invasive molecular tools align with the 3R principles —Replacement, Reduction and Refinement—by reducing animal manipulation and preventing unnecessary suffering.

This study illustrates these advantages through monitoring the endangered Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) in Extremadura. Fecal material, environmental samples and biological traces were analyzed to obtain ecological, genetic and health information without capturing individuals. Real-time PCR, conventional PCR and sequencing enabled species identification, sex determination, pathogen detection and assessment of interactions with invasive species like American mink (Neovison vison), eliminating ethical conflicts associated with invasive surveillance.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) represents a central ethical framework element. eDNA allows the highly sensitive detection of G. pyrenaicus from water and sediment samples, providing presence, distribution and community-level information without direct animal contact. eDNA replaces high-impact monitoring with greater sensitivity and broader ecological insight while avoiding stress, capture or disturbance. Its capacity to anticipate declines, detect emerging risks and monitor biodiversity supports both scientific goals and moral obligations toward species protection.

Results demonstrate that non-invasive techniques are not merely methodologically efficient but ethically superior. Reducing human impact, avoiding physiological stress and eliminating necropsies or intrusive sampling needs makes them particularly suitable for vulnerable species, promoting a research culture grounded in responsibility, transparency and respect for wildlife integrity.

This Pyrenean desman study shows the ethical imperative of integrating non-invasive and molecular approaches and highlights that they should be prioritized in conservation programs and research protocols, balancing scientific rigor with animal welfare and moral responsibility, thereby contributing to respectful and sustainable wildlife interactions.

Insects are central in horse production systems: they transmit pathogens, cause skin and behavioral disorders, and indicate environmental quality. Current responses often rely on individual protection (blankets, repellents, short-lived insecticides), addressing symptoms rather than environmental drivers, and are increasingly ineffective and pose ecological risks. Preventive ecosystem-level interventions are therefore needed. We propose a multi-scalar approach integrating entomological knowledge into ecological biocontrol for equine health.

A targeted review identified the key pest species (Simulium spp., Tabanus spp., Stomoxys spp., Musca domestica). Field observations (2024–2025) in a semi-arid horse farm in central Spain (“La Nebulosa”) showed that late-spring to early-autumn biting activity was exacerbated by high temperatures, low humidity, and sweat interacting with dusty haircoats, amplifying irritation and host chemical cues. Horses also differ in susceptibility due to variation in skin integrity, sweating, and reactivity, requiring strategies that balance environmental and individual needs.

Our preliminary multi-scalar interventions included the following: (i) micro-scale actions on host-linked microhabitats using biocontrol and stage-specific traps, together with systematic fly-mask use to prevent ocular irritation; (ii) meso-scale adaptation of stables and paddocks to reduce soil moisture; and (iii) macro-scale enhancement of insectivorous biodiversity and aromatic plant deterrence.

Qualitative improvements included reduced fly pressure, fewer skin lesions in susceptible individuals, calmer behavior, and no conjunctivitis cases this year (vs. two in the previous year). These findings support the development of a Bayesian model integrating environmental drivers and individual susceptibility to quantify responses in future seasons. We conclude that insects can transition from indicators of degradation to co-managers of ecological resilience, enabling preventive biocontrol with welfare and ecological co-benefits.

Introduction and objectives
Piroplasmosis is an endemic tick-borne disease in Spain caused by protozoa of the genera Babesia and Theileria, transmitted by hard ticks (Ixodidae). These hemoprotozoa can induce severe diseases in both animals and humans. Since not all tick species or individuals are infected or competent vectors, identifying the tick fauna present in each area and the piroplasms they harbor is crucial for improving surveillance, prevention, and control strategies.

Methodology
Between 2023 and 2024, the Environmental Risk Surveillance Unit of the Community of Madrid collected 302 ticks, grouped into 148 pools, from 21 host species in central Spain. Hosts included ungulates, wild carnivores, small mammals, birds, and domestic animals. Ticks were morphologically identified to species level. DNA extraction was followed by nested PCR for Babesia and Theileria detection according to Jefferies et al. (2007).

Results and discussion

Wild boar (31.8%), rabbit (19.6%), fox (10.8%), deer (8.8%), and raccoon (6.8%) were the most frequent hosts. The spatial distribution of samples reflects an extensive surveillance effort encompassing both wildlife management areas and urban–periurban environments. The predominant tick species were Hyalomma lusitanicum (32.4%) and Rhipicephalus pusillus (29.7%). Five piroplasm species were identified: Babesia pecorum, Babesia ovis, Babesia sp. (tavsan2/occultans), Theileria ovis, and Theileria capreoli.

The overall infection rate was 6.08% (9/148). Positive samples included B. pecorum (2.7%) in wild boar (Dermacentor marginatus), goat (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), and rabbit (R. pusillus); B. ovis (0,68%) in wild boar (H. lusitanicum); Babesia sp. tavsan2/occultans (0.68%) in Iberian Ibex (Rhipicephalus bursa); T. ovis (1.35%) in rabbit (R. pusillus) and cat (R. sanguineus); and T. capreoli (0.68%) in mouflon (H. lusitanicum). These findings suggest multispecies circulation and possible cross-transmission between wildlife and domestic environments.

Conclusions
The ecological and geographic spread of piroplasms in local tick populations underscores the need for continued surveillance in wildlife and domestic animals in central Spain.

Elephants play an intrinsic role in Sri Lanka, associated with cultural, religious and economic practices. According to a survey conducted in 2024, the country is home to an estimated population of 7,400 to 7,500 elephants. Reports further suggest that there are 210 captive elephants, of which 102 are housed in state-owned facilities, while the remainder are kept by private owners for work or as a symbol of status and prestige. These captive elephants are exposed to various human-induced cruelties, particularly against the five freedoms of animal welfare.

Sri Lankan elephants are strictly protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, No. 2 of 1937 (hereinafter FFPO of 1937), and captive elephants must be duly registered and licensed in accordance with its provisions. However, due to political pressure, many elephants are kept in captivity without adhering to the proper procedures. On 19^th August 2021, the Fauna and Flora (Protection, Well-being and Regularisation of Registration of Tamed Elephants) Regulations No. 01 of 2021 were issued by the respective State Minister under section 22A of the FFPO of 1937. Four separate cases were filed before the Court of Appeal, challenging the validity of these regulations.

On 31^st May 2024, the final decree was issued, which was in favour of the petitioners. However, captive elephants will continue to be subjected to cruelty and mistreatment by their custodians and mahouts until they are recognised as sentient beings with intrinsic value. This paper examines the necessity of granting rights to Sri Lankan elephants. The paper analyses the weaknesses in the existing protection available for elephants in Sri Lanka and provides recommendations on the rights that should be granted to elephants and how to grant them effectively, with a special focus on addressing the practical and implementation challenges of granting rights to elephants in Sri Lanka.

Introduction: Teaching veterinary anatomy presents unique challenges due to the considerable morphological variation among domestic species, the limited availability of large specimen collections—especially for wild animals—and the biosafety restrictions associated with cadaveric materials. Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a promising tool to overcome these limitations by enabling the production of durable, safe, and anatomically accurate models. This study aimed to compare learning outcomes using three different study methods: real anatomical specimens, 3D-printed models, and traditional 2D materials (books and printed images). Methods: This study was conducted with undergraduate veterinary students (n = 261), divided into two subgroups based on prior exposure to anatomy: the 'previous knowledge group' (n = 111), composed of students who had already completed the anatomy course, and the 'no prior knowledge group' (n = 150), composed of first-semester students. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the three study methods and given one hour to study the assigned material. All students subsequently completed the same practical test using real specimens, allowing for direct comparison of performance across methods. Results: Students who studied using real anatomical specimens or 3D-printed models achieved significantly higher test scores compared to those who studied exclusively with 2D materials, with no statistical difference between the real-specimen and 3D-model groups. Test completion time did not differ among groups, and no significant differences were found between male and female participants. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that 3D-printed models are a reliable tool for anatomical learning, providing outcomes equivalent to real specimens. They also offer practical advantages such as lower costs, improved biosafety, durability, and color customization. Moreover, 3D printing—and related technologies—holds strong potential for broader applications in veterinary and health sciences education, surgical planning, skills training, and more ethical and scalable research involving animals.

The latest generation of functional feed additives, known as postbiotics, provides stable and bioactive metabolites that improve cattle gut health and nutrient absorption. This study investigated the effects of the postbiotic-based feed supplement extra pure metabolites (XPM), which is generated from the fermentation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on digestibility and growth performance in native Sahiwal heifers grown in tropical environments. Twelve heifers of the same age and weight were split into two groups; one group was given a conventional basal diet (control), which consisted of green fodder (sorghum + wheat straw), while the other group received XPM supplements for ninety days. Feed intake, body condition score, average daily gain (ADG), and nutritional digestibility (DM, CP, and NDF) were among the parameters assessed. The results showed that XPM supplementation increased the digestibility of dry matter and crude protein and considerably (P < 0.05) improved ADG and feed conversion efficiency. In comparison to controls, treated heifers also showed improved rumen stability and greater physical health. Yeast-derived postbiotics optimize rumen microbial activity, reduce gut pathogens, and promote positive fermentation pathways, all of which contribute to improved nutrition utilization and metabolic efficiency. The study shows that XPM supplementation can enhance animal health and production efficiency without the need for antibiotics, providing a sustainable and safe method of feeding dairy cattle. The use of postbiotics like XPM promotes increased productivity in tropical dairy production and is consistent with the global movement toward livestock systems free of antibiotics.

Humans and animals share a longstanding bond, yet meaningful cross-species communication remains an open research challenge. While recent digital systems—such as button-based or auditory interfaces—have enabled structured interaction between felines and humans, most approaches begin from human-designed symbols rather than from the actual scenarios in which communication emerges.

This study proposes a scenario-based framework for feline–human interaction. Instead of assuming predefined symbols, the approach begins by identifying recurring behavioural scenarios—such as care, discomfort, attention seeking, or social negotiation. Within each scenario, the goal is to examine which behavioural points may naturally evolve into symbolic representations, based on observable tendencies rather than human inference. This forms the basis for preferential symbol emergence, where symbols arise from the context itself, rather than being imposed beforehand.

Accordingly, the study poses three core research questions:

(1) Which scenarios consistently appear in feline–human interaction?

(2) Within each scenario, which behavioural cues could serve as candidates for symbolic representation?

(3) How might these candidate symbols be digitally encoded and tested without reducing ethologically complex behaviour to fixed abstractions?

For instance, scratching—often associated with discomfort or power imbalance during caregiving—may not represent a single symbol but rather a spectrum of responses which my evolve into a layered multimedia or parametric response within a specific scenario that calls for contextual interpretation. Likewise, observations such as a cat recognizing a worker icon after seeing a real worker suggest that symbol inference may occur through spontaneous scenario-based association rather than direct learning.

By grounding symbolic representation in scenarios rather than assumptions, this work outlines an initial framework for an ethically aligned and perceptually informed digital interface for cross-species communication.

Euthanasia in small-animal practice is often framed as a technical endpoint; this study demonstrates it is fundamentally relational and context-dependent. Drawing on 29 qualitative interviews with Istanbul-based small-animal veterinarians (conducted in Turkish, July 2024–April 2025), I examine how ethical reasoning, emotional labor, and institutional conditions shape life-ending decisions for two canine populations: companion animals and unowned street dogs. Reflexive thematic analysis, informed by constructivist grounded theory, reveals that euthanasia for companion dogs typically unfolds through shared deliberation with owners, anticipatory grief work, and post-death rituals—distributing moral responsibility across human actors. By contrast, street-dog cases commonly occur without legal guardianship, with ambiguous authorization, compressed timelines, and scarce aftercare, concentrating ethical burden and moral residue on veterinarians themselves. Six cross-cutting themes structure the findings: shouldering responsibility in the absence of guardians; ethical strain under contested indications; the decisive role of relational presence; the unequal weight of municipally routed street-dog euthanasia; practices of witnessing that seek dignity at the end of life; and the ethics of time as a finite clinical resource. The study advances empirical veterinary ethics by reframing euthanasia as work performed within—and often against—fragile urban care infrastructures. Implications include training for adverse-euthanasia scenarios, municipal protocols for unowned animals (authorization lines, funded aftercare), and clinic-level supports (sedation-first SOPs, rotation, debriefing). Recognizing how context redistributes responsibility clarifies both the possibilities and limits of “humane” endings in urban practice.

What can disabled-animal relationships reveal about systems of oppression and interspecies coexistence? This paper addresses this question by examining the woefully undertheorised alliance between disabled bodyminds and animals, which remains limited to discussions of support animals. This paper argues that examining disabled-animal relationships reveals crucial insights: the politics of euthanasia and how 'quality-of-life' judgments operate across species; the ethical complexities of anthropomorphism and interspecies communication; how animal kinship opens alternative frameworks to human-centred understandings of care/value. By foregrounding reciprocity rather than utility, critical animal studies and disability studies can illuminate oppressive hierarchies, challenge anthropocentric and ableist frameworks, and expand possibilities for coexistence beyond human benefit.

Animals are crucial to what it means to be human. The historic dehumanisation of disabled and racialised subjectivities has resulted in a synonymy with animals; horrifying racist/ableist sentiments strip minorities of their humanity, designating them as subhuman. Yet crucial to this ideology is the belief that animals have a less worthy existence. Disabled people and animals are especially made equivalent, ‘presented as beasts and as burdens’ (Taylor 2017). Such elision is identifiable regarding disabled animals; ableism isn’t exclusive to humans: ‘the able body that ableism perpetuates and privileges is always not only able-bodied but human’(ibid). Disabled animals are posited as devoid of value, with euthanasia presented as the kindest option. Our understanding of animals is shaped by the belief that only the strongest/fittest animals survive, yet, research revealed animals undergo what de Waal terms ‘learned adjustment’, similar to cognitive empathy, whereby non-disabled animals comprehend the reduced capacities of their disabled companions, supporting and protecting them. Animals offer disabled people connection free from ableist judgment, providing meaningful kinship and social mediation. While disabled individuals often anthropomorphise pets, valuing reciprocal care given difficulty finding safety with humans, this raises questions about where kinship begins and projection ends.