A rare fossa has arrived at Chester Zoo
Zaza has been matched with a female fossa at Chester Zoo called Shala and it's hoped the pair will go on to have pups. The animals tend to live alone, so the duo will stay apart most of the time, only coming together for breeding."Initially we plan to rotate the two of them separately around different parts of their habitat so they can smell each other," explained keeper Jack Cunningham. "They can see each other through a glass window and there's also a screen we can slide open between their dens which allows them to see each other, without being able to get to one another straight away."It's all part of our slow and gradual introduction process."Female fossa Shala, who arrived at Chester Zoo in 2018, successfully had a litter of pups with her previous mate, Isalo, who will be moving on from the zoo as part of the same breeding programme.
Why are their worries about fossa numbers?
The fossa is an animal which is native to Madagascar.Its existence is currently under threat, with fewer than 2,500 believed to still be in the wild. Deforestation has a big part to play in the fall in fossa numbers. "With the fossa listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and its wild habitats in Madagascar under threat from rapid development, Zaza's move to Chester Zoo is an important part of the international effort to ensure this wonderful and unique species is safeguarded long into the future," said Mark Brayshaw, who is the head of mammals at Chester Zoo. As well as drastic changes to their environment, fossas also face risks from dogs and cats introduced to Madagascar as they risk catching catch diseases from them.
The fossa is the largest natural predator on Madagascar.They hunt for prey such as lemurs, which makes up about half of their diet, as well as other species like birds, lizards and mice. Although the animals have retractable claws like cats, they are most closely related to mongooses.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Difference in survival rates between different types of cancer is bigger than ever while overall improvements have slowed, study reveals
The difference in survival rates between different types of cancer is bigger than ever while overall improvements have slowed, a study reveals. The proportion of UK patients surviving ten years or more ranges from 97 per cent for testicular cancer to just 4.3 per cent for pancreatic cancer. Survival for all cancers combined has increased dramatically since the 1970s but the gains were almost three-times faster in the early 2000s than the early 2010s. For a patient diagnosed in 2018, the likelihood of surviving cancer for at least a decade stands at 49.8 per cent compared to 23.7 per cent in the 1970s, researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found. Remarkably, the one year rate in 1971 was not even as high as the ten year rate in 2018. Breast, bowel and cervical cancer are among the cancer types which have seen large improvements in survival - partly due to effective screening programmes which can diagnose the disease at an earlier stage, when it is easier to treat. Innovations in treatment and improved awareness of symptoms have also contributed to better outcomes for many cancers, Cancer Research UK said. However, 'remarkable progress' for some cancer types has left others 'trailing behind', as survival for the most lethal cancers has hardly improved at all. Oesophagus, stomach, lung and brain cancer survival has only increased by a small amount in the past 50 years and remains below 20 per cent. Meanwhile, for pancreatic cancer, survival after ten years is still less than 5 per cent, according to findings published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe. These forms of cancer are harder to detect and treat, which is why targeted research in this area is vital, experts say. Pressures on cancer services in the UK, resulting in longer waits for diagnosis and treatment, could be contributing to the overall slow-down in progress, they add. Researchers analysed long-term trends in cancer survival for adults across England and Wales from 1971 to 2018. Using records from the National Disease Registration Service for England and the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit, experts estimated net survival for up to 10 years after diagnosis for around 10.8 million people. In the five years from 2000/01 to 2005/06, the 10-year cancer survival index - an indicator of overall survival across all types of the disease- rose by 4 per cent, from 41.2 per cent to 45.2 per cent. But between 2010/11 and 2015/16, the rise was 1.4 per cent, from 47.9 per cent to 49.3 per cent. Researchers say a national cancer plan is 'essential' to 'bring cancer survival trends back towards the best in the world'. The Government launched a call for evidence to help shape a national cancer plan in February. The blueprint aims to outline actions to transform how the disease is treated in a bid to reduce deaths. Michel Coleman, a professor of epidemiology and statistics at LSHTM, said: 'Since I began my career in cancer research, I've seen substantial increases in survival for most types of cancer. 'Our understanding of cancer biology has expanded, effective screening programmes have been introduced, and new treatments have been developed. 'Allowing this trend to stall will have devastating consequences. 'The National Cancer Plan is a chance to improve NHS cancer pathways and reap the benefits of new research – the Government must take it.' Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said: 'Thanks to research, most patients today are far more likely to survive their cancer than at any point in the past. 'But the reality is that this progress is slowing – and for some cancers, it never got going in the first place. 'The upcoming National Cancer Plan for England must include commitments to spot more cancers earlier, as well as backing research into new treatments so that each patient, regardless of their diagnosis, can hope for more moments with the people they love.' Cancer Research UK is calling for the national cancer plan to slash waiting times for diagnosis and treatment, saying some patients face unacceptable delays. The plan should also improve early diagnosis of cancer, with plans to boost participation in existing screening programmes and a commitment to rolling out lung cancer screening fully in England by 2029. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We are prioritising cancer care as we turn around more than a decade of neglect of our NHS. 'We're already seeing progress, with 95,000 more people having cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days between July 2024 and May 2025, compared to the same period the previous year. 'The National Cancer Plan will set out how we will improve survival rates further and address the variation between different cancer types.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Scientists want to make toothpaste from human HAIR - and say it could repair damaged teeth better than fluoride-based products
Whether it's splashing out on a fancy electric toothbrush or hopping on a plane to get a set of Turkey teeth, some people will do whatever it takes to get the perfect smile. But scientists now say the solution to our dental woes has been right there with us the entire time. Researchers from King's College London found that toothpaste made from human hair can repair damaged teeth better than fluoride-based products. Treatments made using keratin extracted from hair or wool can completely halt the early stages of tooth decay. The researchers say this could be applied either in the form of a toothpaste or as a nail varnish-like gel for more targeted repair. If you suffer from sensitive teeth, the good news is that it could be available to consumers in as little as two to three years. Senior author Dr Sherif Elsharkawy says: 'We are entering an exciting era where biotechnology allows us to not just treat symptoms but restore biological function using the body's own materials. 'With further development and the right industry partnerships, we may soon be growing stronger, healthier smiles from something as simple as a haircut.' Teeth are covered in a hard outer layer called enamel, mainly made up of calcium and phosphorus, which protects the sensitive inner layers from damage. Although enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, even stronger than your bones, acidic foods and drinks, and poor dental hygiene can wear it away over time. This can lead to tooth sensitivity, pain, and even tooth loss in extreme cases. 'Unlike bones and hair, enamel does not regenerate, once it is lost, it's gone forever,' says Dr Elsharkawy. Toothpastes with high levels of fluoride can help slow down this process, but they cannot stop it entirely. However, in their new paper, published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, Dr Elsharkawy says that keratin from hair and wool can permanently restore tooth strength. Keratin is a fibrous protein naturally produced by our bodies that makes up our hair, nails, and the outer layer of our skin. The researchers found that, when keratin is applied to teeth, it forms a dense mineral layer which mimics the structure and function of enamel. Keratin reacts with minerals naturally present in saliva to form 'a highly organised, crystal-like scaffold'. This scaffold continues to absorb calcium and phosphorus from the saliva, which leads to the growth of an 'enamel-like' layer around the tooth. That layer protects the tooth and seals off the exposed nerve channels, which lead to sensitivity, both relieving the symptoms of tooth decay and fixing the underlying issue. The researchers believe that this natural treatment has some major advantages over techniques currently being used in dentistry. In the future, waste hair from hairdressers or excess wool from farms could be recycled into toothpaste. That means dentists could offer a more eco-friendly option that is even more effective than existing treatments. First author Sara Gamea, a PhD candidate at King's College London, told Daily Mail: 'By sealing tiny openings in teeth and restoring lost minerals, keratin-based treatments could offer long-lasting protection against sensitivity and wear.' 'Because hair is abundant, renewable, and often discarded as waste, it provides a sustainable and cost-effective source for producing keratin-based materials to help repair teeth.' ARE TRENDY WAYS OF CLEANING YOUR TEETH EFFECTIVE, OR DANGEROUS? Top dentists reveal how trendy fads can wreak havoc with people's teeth. Despite the likes of Gisele Bündchen and the Hemsley sisters swearing by starting every morning with a refreshing glass of hot water and lemon, Dr Ben Atkins, a dentist based in Manchester and Trustee of the Oral Health Foundation, warns the drink effectively dissolves teeth and could even make them darker. While critics link fluoride to everything from dementia to diabetes, experts argue numerous studies show the mineral does not harm people's health, with free-from varieties missing out on 'the main protective ingredient'. Dr Atkins also describes the ancient Ayurvedic practice of oil pulling, which involves swishing coconut oil around the mouth, as a 'waste of time', with Dr Rhona Eskander, Best Young Dentist Winner 2016, adding it will not give you a Hollywood smile. In terms of brushing your teeth with charcoal or apple cider vinegar, both Dr Atkins and Dr Eskander add the 'natural remedies' could do more harm than good as while their acidic, abrasive consistencies may remove surface stains, they could also permanently damage enamel.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Increase in cancer survival rates has slowed, worried experts warn
Progress in cancer survival rates has slowed down, experts said, and the gap is wider than ever before between those surviving the deadliest cancers and those living through the least deadly. Research led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and funded by Cancer Research UK looked at the Cancer Survival Index for adults in England and Wales from 1971 to 2018. The researchers found that 49.8 per cent of cancer patients survived to a decade after diagnosis, a rate higher than the one-year survival rate in 1971 and 1972. The team, writing in the journal Lancet Regional Health, Europe, hailed the improvement as 'remarkable', but also noted that the 'speed of improvement in survival has slowed down'. Between 2000-01 and 2005-06, the ten-year survival rate rose from 41.2 per cent to 45.2. However between 2010-11 and 2015-16, the improvement in survival rates was from 47.9 to 49.3 per cent. The difference between the survival rates of different types of cancers remained large: 97 per cent of testicular cancer patients survived for ten years, but only 4.3 per cent of pancreatic cancer patients made it to a decade after diagnosis. Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: 'Thanks to research, most patients today are far more likely to survive their cancer than at any point in the past. But the reality is that this progress is slowing and for some cancers, it never got going in the first place.' According to the charity, screening programmes have improved survival rates for cancers in the breast, bowel and cervix. For other types such as stomach, lung and brain cancer, they had increased by only a fraction in the past 50 years. The government has launched a call for evidence to shape a national cancer plan in February. It will aim to outline changes in treatment to reduce deaths. Mitchell added: 'The upcoming national cancer plan for England must include commitments to spot more cancers earlier, as well as backing research into new treatments so that each patient, regardless of their diagnosis, can hope for more moments with the people they love.' Michel Coleman, a professor of epidemiology and statistics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: 'Since I began my career in cancer research I've seen substantial increases in survival for most types of cancer. 'Our understanding of cancer biology has expanded, effective screening programmes have been introduced, and new treatments have been developed. Allowing this trend to stall will have devastating consequences.' The study was conducted using data from about 10.8 million people, available through records from the National Disease Registration Service and the Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: 'We are prioritising cancer care as we turn around more than a decade of neglect of our NHS. 'We're already seeing progress, with 95,000 more people having cancer diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days between July 2024 and May 2025, compared to the same period the previous year. 'The National Cancer Plan will set out how we will improve survival rates further and address the variation between different cancer types.'
