UP researchers have been working on adapting the use of existing technology and testing it in the field to find an appropriate solution to mitigate complications arising from low oxygen levels during procedures like immobilisation. This new research improves our ability to provide care and ensure the well-being of rhinos in the field.
New research by scientists at the University of Pretoria (UP) has shown that pulse oximeters, originally designed for humans, can be used more effectively to monitor the blood oxygen levels of rhinoceroses who are under anaesthesia and immobilised – by attaching them at an unusual site: the rhino’s ‘third eyelid’.
This edition explores the theme of ‘Just Transitions’ which is generally characterised by ideas of sustainability and the greening of the economy, and supported by the ideas of resistance, rethinking and restructuring society for a better and more equitable future. As one of the most impactful producers of research in South Africa, UP has several specialised research teams that are on the...
The quest for immortality has long fascinated humans, and inspired countless tales – now, in two new studies published in the journals Nature and Science, University of Pretoria (UP) researchers, along with a team of global experts known as the Mammalian Methylation Consortium, are a step closer to unmasking the secret of aging in mammals, thus raising important questions – and answers.
Aging has long been thought to be the result of random cellular damage or degradation over time, but this latest research shows that the epigenetic aspects of aging in fact follow a predetermined “programme”.
This infographic explains how the universal pan-mammalian clock was developed to determine the age of mammals in the wild for conservation and the preservation of endangered species. The clock can be used in forensic science to estimate the correct age of a victim at the time of death or the age of a suspect based on forensic evidence.
The beak of the female African white-backed vulture was crushed when she was hit by a car in March 2023. Have a look at how University of Pretoria researchers found a way to help her eat again.
What do you do when a vulture with a crushed beak needs a new beak and two attempts to fit an acrylic beak fail? You improvise and use the beak of a deceased vulture, successfully enabling the injured bird to feed again.
A new series of maps drawn up by Emeritus Professor Rudi van Aarde of the University of Pretoria (UP) and Dr Ryan Huang of Duke University in the US details where African elephants prefer to roam in Southern Africa.
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