Capturing and Handling Wild Animals

Transcription

1 Capturing and Handling Wild Animals Chapter 10 Pages Trapping Wildlife biologists need to know how to safely and efficiently capture and handle wildlife. General Considerations Is physical restraint better than chemical immobilization? Is adequate assistance available? Is the proper equipment available? What is to be done with or to the animal during and after the restraint? Trapping Why Why Trap? Damage and disease control programs Population regulation activities Wildlife management efforts Research studies 1

2 Trapping Regulations Highly Highly regulated by both state and federal government Animal Animal welfare concerns are the highest importance Permits Permits must be in place before trapping/handling occurs Any Any work done with animals must have an accompanying animal care and use protocol Considerations Most Most important development in wildlife management and science? Considerations Before Before you trap, what must you know about the organism you are interested in trapping? Think Think outside the box. Scents, attractants, calls 2

3 Trapping Amphibians/Reptiles Funnel traps Set along drift fences Intercept & direct herps Large drop-in traps used w/ drift fence Trapping - Insects Sweep Sweep nets Light Light traps Old sheet w/ light source or bumping vegetation to dislodge organisms Drop-in tin can traps Collect ground dwelling organisms Killed or marked & released for recapture Trapping Small Mammals Poisons Poisons or snap traps Museum purposes. Anatomical studies. Live Live traps Sherman live traps or Havahart traps. 3

4 Trapping Small Mammals Sherman Live Trap Havahart Snap Traps Trapping Large Mammals Snare Snare sets Used along runs or trails Modified live traps Havahart traps, Tender traps, etc. Size depends on animal habits animal size Trapping Large Mammals Bailey s Live Trap Snare Snare 4

5 Trapping Large Mammals BaitsBaits Foods or scents Depend on habits or food requirements Drift Drift fences leading into corrals for large game mammals Kill Kill traps Leghold traps Poison baits Trapping Large Mammals Hard Nets Drive Nets Trapping Large Mammals Box Trap Culvert Trap 5

6 Trapping - Birds Non-invasive methods Visual or Auditory observations Qualitative description avian community Note Note all bird species seen or heard Quantitative studies Sampling related to some standard unit of effort Trapping - Birds Birds Birds traps (bait or entanglement) Baited Walk-in effective for seed-eating eating birds Cannon net traps Water Water fowl or turkey baited into feeding area Mist nets Placed in flight lines Bait? Bait? Cover? Cover? Walk-in traps 6

7 Rocket and Cannon Nets Rocket Rocket nets versus cannon nets Rocket nets Start fires, costly, need federal permit Charges must be hand delivered Store charges in blast proof storage Charges may not be compatible with rocket depending on brand Cannons are faster on takeoff, rockets are faster on landing Drop Nets Very Very useful compared to walk-in nets Species Species and individual specific Size of rope and holes in nets Can Can be triggered remotely Trapping - Birds Walk-in Trap Cannon Net Drop Net 7

8 Chemical Immobilization Before Before you decide you are going to use chemicals????????? Chemical better than physical? Do you have assistance or help? Do you have all the equipment you need? What are you going to do with it during and after restraint? Picking a Drug Need Need a vet How How would you pick a drug???????? Do your Research What is you purpose What is the setting Kinds of Drugs Tranquilizers Calm put aroused by certain stimuli (pain, fear) Valium, Haldol Sedatives Suppress central nervous system sleep like state Xylazine --- Common can be reversed Narcotics Depress central nervous system Pain Killers and Respiratory depressants Have reversals or Antagonists Etrohphine HCL (M99) Fentanyl 8

9 Kinds of Drugs Dissosiatives Don t t respond to external stimuli separation between conscious mind and sensory perception carnivores, res, birds and herps Ketamine Neuro-muscular Can t t voluntarily move not safe and no longer use Inhalation anesthetics Requires special equipment for safe administration Metophane, Halothane Hand Hand held syringe Jab-stick Plow Plow Pipe Co2 Co2 rifle Power Power rifle Administration Post capture Clear Clear airways move tongue Dart Dart removal Surgical Check Check respiration, heart rate, temperature Ointment to eyes and cover eyes 9

10 Post capture Moderate temperature Take Take animal out of sun Ruminant---- on chest legs flexed head lifted Others Others on side turn every 30m Noise Noise to minimum Take Home Message Physical Physical almost always better than chemical ATS: Only use chemical immobilization if the animal can eat you Average Average mortality rate 10% Take Home Message Ideal Ideal Drug Small dose 1 dose fits all Cheap Not a controlled substance Quick knockdown Reversing agent *should not affect humans* 10