June 03, 2024
First edition (May 2024) of Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences newsletter (SquaredUP)
The first edition for 2024 (May 2024) of the NAS Faculty newsletter ( SquaredUP) is now available. Click on either of the links below to read the newsletter...
December 11, 2023
December 2023 edition of the NAS Faculty newsletter (SquaredUP) available
The third edition for 2023 (December 2023) of the NAS Faculty newsletter (SquaredUP) is available Click on the link below to read the newsletter: https://www.up...
August 14, 2020
'Never pass up an opportunity to grow'
Dr Darshana Morar-Leather of UP’s Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases tell us about her various roles as senior lecturer, researcher, student supervisor...
October 13, 2017
Ground-breaking surgical procedure by South African team regarded as the first of its kind
In what is regarded as a first of its kind, a group of South African veterinarians, together with a maxillofacial surgeon, succeeded in surgically lengthening...
October 11, 2017
Another veterinary painkiller found to be toxic to vultures
The drug known as carprofen, which was found to be toxic to vultures, belongs to the same family of drugs as diclofenac and meloxicam. In South Asia, the...
September 20, 2017
Research explores the social life of one of Africa's most iconic animals
Giraffes, like so many species in Africa, are under threat. While scientifically inaccurate cultural beliefs exist which claim that lion bone, rhino horn and...
September 15, 2017
Herding for Health
The Herding for Health Project that was initiated by the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Pretoria (UP) is a One Health, pro-poor, rural...
July 11, 2017
Ensuring better health and proper care for cheetahs in captivity
It can reach a speed of 100km/h in just three seconds, is extremely light in weight and aerodynamically streamlined, and can cover nine metres in just one...
June 19, 2017
With the wild ones – a reflection of science and passion
It might sound strange at first to hear of a professor in human oral pathology who researches animals, but Prof Erich Raubenheimer* has spent over a quarter of...
June 02, 2017
Minimally invasive methods make surgery safer for Africa's big cats
In most medical success stories, one would expect to hear about procedures first being successfully tested on animals before they are applied in the human realm...
May 30, 2017
Understanding the intricacies of rhino immobilisation
The reality of rhino poaching has made us all too aware of the fragility of the species. It is with growing frequency that veterinary professionals are required...
April 19, 2017
Africa's protected areas have only a quarter of the elephants they should
A new study from the Conservation Ecology Research Unit (CERU) at the University of Pretoria provides an estimate of the number of elephants that should be...
August 04, 2016
UP's Veterinary Science students star in new TV series
Green Films have announced the licensing of the first season of the 13-part TV series Frontier Vets to SABC 3, South Africa. The first episode was aired on 9...
July 15, 2016
UP collaborates to save the survivors
The poaching of rhinos for their horns has resulted in the loss of many animals. It is particularly sad when pregnant rhinos or mothers with calves are poached...
July 11, 2016
Rhino research that matters at UP
At the University of Pretoria's Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL) at Onderstepoort, Dr Cindy Harper and her team have developed a ground-breaking technique...
July 05, 2016
Experts agree to enhanced international DNA testing of rhinos
The RhODIS® Rhino DNA Scientific workshop, hosted by the University of Pretoria's Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL), concluded on Friday, 24 June 2016, at...
May 24, 2016
UP veterinarians do their part to save our rhino
As the rhino poaching crisis escalates, this year’s theme for World Wildlife Day, ‘The future of wildlife is in our hands’ is a chilling reminder of the...
May 18, 2016
The time to be innovative is now!
'Be creative and forge your own future in ways never explored before. Be a leader and create your own new job description like that of the "Education Evangelist...
March 15, 2016
New study on vulture-killing drug raises serious concerns
For over a decade it has been known that some drugs are toxic to vultures and that they are exposed to these drugs by consuming contaminated carcasses. Yet no...
December 02, 2015
SASAS awards Gold Medal to Prof Jannes van Ryssen
Prof Jannes Jansen van Ryssen, an extraordinary professor in the Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences at the University of Pretoria, was recently awarded...