The Know Daily - Monday 11 September 2023

_{Monday 11 September ∙ Read in 5m 24s ∙ Listening to Laufey}

Four critically-endangered gharial crocodiles have hatched at Fort Worth Zoo in the US. The crocs, which are native to rivers in Nepal and northern India, came close to extinction in the 1970s - so the zoo has labelled the births a “monumental conservation success”.

⚖️ A ban on American Bully XLs?

Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced on Sunday that she is exploring introducing a possible ban on American Bully XL dogs, after footage of an attack in Birmingham circulated on social media over the weekend.

What happened in Birmingham?
An 11-year-old girl was bitten by a Bully XL in the Bordesley Green area of the city on Saturday, and two men who intervened were also left with injuries to their shoulders and arms.

In a statement, West Midlands Police said that the dog had been taken into secure kennels pending the results of an investigation, and confirmed that officers had spoken to the owner.

What did Braverman say?
After footage of the attack emerged on social media, the home secretary took to X to label the American XL Bully a “clear and lethal danger”. She added that she has “commissioned urgent advice” on banning the breed.

Adding dogs to the banned list is the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). There are currently four banned breeds in the UK, and while the Bully XL is not subject to restrictions itself, it is “closely related to the pit bull terrier, a banned breed”, said Sky News.

How would a ban work in practice?
The PA news agency reported that there are concerns within Defra over the feasibility of adding the American Bully XL to the banned list, as it is not recognised as a specific breed by the UK Kennel Club.

Animal charities including the RSPCA have been “pushing for an end to breed-specific bans”, said The Guardian, instead wanting greater focus on “individual actions and dangerous owners”.