Trap-effectiveness and response to tiletamine-zolazepam and medetomidine anaesthesia in Eurasian wild boar captured with cage and corral traps

Abstract

BackgroundCapture, handling and chemical restraint are basic techniques often needed for research or management purposes. The aim of this study was testing a combination of tiletamine-zolazepam (TZ) (3 mg/kg) and medetomidine (M) (0.05 mg/kg) on Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa). A total of 77 free-ranging wild boar were captured by means of portable cages and corral traps and then anaesthetized with intramuscular darts using a blowpipe. The individual response to chemical immobilization was characterized using anaesthetic, clinical, and serum biochemical variables. After the procedure, 14 of these wild boar were monitored for 20 days using GPS-GSM collars.ResultsPre-release mortality during capture and handling (6.5%) was associated with severe trauma in corral traps. Capture specificity for wild boar was 96.3% and trapping effort was 16.5 days per captured wild boar. Mean induction period was 4.5 ± 2.2 min, hypnosis period enabling effective handling was 61.6 ± 25.4 min, and recovery period was 12.8 ± 12.1 min. No heart or respiratory failure due to added stress occurred and post-release monitoring by GPS-devices revealed no mortality due to anaesthesia. According to the best statistical model obtained, the main factor driving anaesthetic efficacy and stress indicators is trap type.ConclusionsBoth cage and corral traps are efficient methods to capture wild boar. Cage traps are safer, as demonstrated by mortality rates as well as anaesthetic, physiological, and serum biochemical responses. This anaesthetic protocol is useful for prolonged handling of wild boar and allows sampling and collecting data for ecological and epidemiological studies.

Tuberculosis-Associated Death among Adult Wild Boars, Spain, 2009–2014

“…During 2009–2014, we captured ( 11 ) and fitted very high frequency global positioning system–global system for mobile communications (VHF-GPS-GSM) collars (Microsensory, Spain) to 45 free-ranging adult wild boars (24 from MT and 21 from DNP; Technical Appendix Table) following Animal Experimentation legislation (PR-2015-03-08). We collected serum and tested it for antibodies to MTC by using ELISA (89.6% sensitivity [ 12 ]).…”

Interactions between four species in a complex wildlife: livestock disease community: implications for Mycobacterium bovis maintenance and transmission

“…At present, pigs are not monitored for TB in Europe, though M. bovis infection is increasingly reported in pigs in several countries (e.g. Di Marco et al 2012;Bailey et al 2013). In south-central Spain, pigs are increasingly being refused by slaughterhouses due to visible TB-compatible lesions (Gomez-Laguna et al 2010).…”

Assessing the efficacy of medetomidine and tiletamine–zolazepam for remote immobilisation of feral horses (Equus caballus)

“…Investigations of alternatives to etorphine have led to use of combinations of α-2 adrenergic agonists (xylazine, detomidine, romifidine, medetomidine) with cyclohexamines (ketamine, tiletamine) (Barasona et al 2013;Matthews et al 1995;Walzer et al 2006;Rosu et al 2012). In particular, the potent α-2 adrenergic agonist medetomidine, in combination with the cyclohexamine ketamine, has demonstrated reliable and reversible remote immobilisation of a diverse range of ungulate species, including forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus; Jalanka 1989), ibex (Capra i. ibex; Jalanka and Roeken 1990), Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii; Matthews et al 1995), donkeys (Equus asinus; Woolnough et al 2012) and dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius; Boardman et al in press).…”