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Exotic frog found in supermarket 4,000 miles away
The unexpecting person found a lot more than they expected when they 'hopped' to the shop.

The little tree frog went on a 'bananas' journey.

A tree frog has had a 'bananas' adventure after a shopper found him in their food shopping.

On Thursday 9 June, an unsuspecting shopper opened the bananas they had just bought to find a tiny tree frog inside, and called the RSPCA for help, worried that the little frog had injured his leg. 

At only 3cm long, the adorable frog travelled 4,000 miles undetected to give the shopper in Sheen, South London, an unfrogettable surprise!

RSPCA inspector Philip Norman was called to help, and said: “The shopper had bought them at a local supermarket but had quite the shock when he unwrapped them at home to find the little frog inside.

“The bananas had come from the Dominican Republic so this little one had quite the adventure!”

Although tricky to identify, the frog is thought to be either a Hispaniolan common tree frog or a Dominican tree frog. 

Philip explained that the frog had likely been wrapped up in the bag of bananas for a long time, but thankfully, the frog's adventuring days are now over, as he has been transferred to Heathrow Animal Reception Centre, where he will be taken care of.

 

Image (C) RSPCA

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.