Latest news with #RomainPizzi
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Boki the bear re-joins friends at Wildwood after brain surgery
A brown bear who underwent pioneering, life-saving brain surgery in October has rejoined his playmates after more than a year Boki, who lives at Wildwood Trust near Canterbury, Kent, started suffering seizures last summer, which were believed to have been caused by hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain).It was decided that brain surgery was the best option for Boki, who went under the knife in spending the winter in semi-hibernation, he has now been able to re-join Wildwood's other two bears, Fluff and Scruff. World-leading veterinary surgeon Romain Pizzi, who waived his fee for the job, fitted a stent between Boki's brain and abdomen to help him pass the excess of bears at Wildwood, Jon Forde, said: "We had to be certain Boki was strong enough before putting them back together."He would often sit by the fence line, watching them, so we knew he missed them."But we were taken aback by just how much it has lifted all three of them. It's not just Boki who's benefited, we've seen a positive impact on Fluff and Scruff too."We'll continue to monitor their interactions carefully, but for now Boki will spend the day with them, then return to his own enclosure overnight, so he doesn't keep them awake all night." Boki was adopted from Port Lympne Reserve in Kent in 2022, after being rejected by his mother and hand-reared by at Wildwood taught him key bear behaviours and began integrating him with Fluff and Scruff, who had been rescued from horrific conditions in a Bulgarian hunting facility.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Boki the Bear rejoins playmates after life-saving brain surgery
A brown bear who underwent pioneering, life-saving brain surgery last October has rejoined his old playmates after more than a year apart. Three-year-old Boki, who lives at Wildwood Trust near Canterbury, Kent, started suffering seizures last summer, which were believed to have been caused by hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain). It was decided that brain surgery was the best option for Boki, who went under the knife in October. World-leading veterinary surgeon Romain Pizzi, who waived his fee for the job, fitted a stent between Boki's brain and abdomen to help him pass the excess fluid. The young bear made a 'remarkable recovery' and was weaned off his medication with no adverse effects, just before he went into torpor (semi-hibernation). Boki has now reconnected with his fellow bears Fluff and Scruff, a test that staff at Wildwood said would mark a major moment in his recovery. The bears wasted no time reconnecting, and Boki quickly began play-fighting with Scruff just as he had before they were separated nearly a year ago. Head of bears at Wildwood, Jon Forde, said the bears seemed to know something was wrong with Boki long before his diagnosis. 'Fluff and Scruff stopped playing with him for the whole season before we knew he was sick – it's amazing how intuitive they are,' he said. 'We had to be certain Boki was strong enough before putting them back together. 'He would often sit by the fence line, watching them, so we knew he missed them. 'But we were taken aback by just how much it has lifted all three of them. It's not just Boki who's benefited, we've seen a positive impact on Fluff and Scruff too. 'We'll continue to monitor their interactions carefully, but for now Boki will spend the day with them, then return to his own enclosure overnight, so he doesn't keep them awake all night.' Boki had been adopted from Port Lympne Wild Animal Reserve in December 2022, after he was rejected by his mother, and had to be hand-reared by keepers there. A spokesperson for Wildwood said: 'Wildwood, known for its expertise in bear rehabilitation, helped teach him key bear behaviours and began integrating him with Fluff and Scruff, the bears had been rescued from horrific conditions in a Bulgarian hunting facility over a decade ago. 'With the help of Wildwood's team, the pair have gone on to show natural behaviours like foraging and torpor.'
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Two abandoned possums have babies in pouches
Two of the six sugar glider possums found dumped in a box outside a Lidl supermarket have babies in their pouches, health checks have revealed. Sugar gliders - which have a thin membrane of skin creating "wings" allowing them to glide through tree tops - are native to Australia. The four females and two males are now being cared for at the Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder in West Lothian. The zoo said that while it is still too early to assess the condition of the young, being exposed to the cold and stress of abandonment posed serious risks to both the offspring and their parents. The sugar gliders have now had a comprehensive health check by the zoo's expert wildlife vet, Dr Romain Pizzi. This included sexing, microchipping, and evaluating their overall condition. A spokeswoman for the zoo said: "As the sugar gliders approach the end of their 30-day quarantine, our team continues to provide the specialised care they need to ensure a smooth transition into their new home." The zoo previously said the animals were likely to be exotic pets that someone could no longer care for. Over the years, the zoo has provided a home for rescued animals, including bears and lions saved from traveling circuses, roadside restaurants, and warzones. A number of exotic or unusual animals have been on the loose in Scotland in recent months. Earlier this year, four lynx were captured after being on the loose in the Highlands and a number of feral pigs were caught and killed after being spotted about five miles from the area where the lynx were found. And last year a Japanese macaque monkey escaped from the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, near Aviemore, and was found by a woman in her garden.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Two abandoned possums have babies in pouches
Two of the six sugar glider possums found dumped in a box outside a Lidl supermarket have babies in their pouches, health checks have revealed. Sugar gliders - which have a thin membrane of skin creating "wings" allowing them to glide through tree tops - are native to Australia. The four females and two males are now being cared for at the Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder in West Lothian. The zoo said that while it is still too early to assess the condition of the young, being exposed to the cold and stress of abandonment posed serious risks to both the offspring and their parents. The sugar gliders have now had a comprehensive health check by the zoo's expert wildlife vet, Dr Romain Pizzi. This included sexing, microchipping, and evaluating their overall condition. A spokeswoman for the zoo said: "As the sugar gliders approach the end of their 30-day quarantine, our team continues to provide the specialised care they need to ensure a smooth transition into their new home." The zoo previously said the animals were likely to be exotic pets that someone could no longer care for. Over the years, the zoo has provided a home for rescued animals, including bears and lions saved from traveling circuses, roadside restaurants, and warzones. A number of exotic or unusual animals have been on the loose in Scotland in recent months. Earlier this year, four lynx were captured after being on the loose in the Highlands and a number of feral pigs were caught and killed after being spotted about five miles from the area where the lynx were found. And last year a Japanese macaque monkey escaped from the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, near Aviemore, and was found by a woman in her garden.
