Chemical Restraints in Wild Animals

Chemical restraints in wild animals are used for disease diagnostic, therapeutic and, Vaccination purpose, examination of highly excitable species, veterinary research and translocation purpose.

Purpose of Chemical Restraints in Wild Animals

• Disease diagnostic purpose
• Therapeutic purpose
• Vaccination purpose
• Examination of highly excitable species
• Biological research purposes
• Veterinary research purposes
• Translocation
• Transfer
• Transport
• Wild animal conflicts related events (herbivore and   carnivore and omnivore may get associated with these conflicts)
• Random health assessment in free ranging areas
• Rescue purposes
• Management purposes

Characters of Drug used for Restraint

The drug characteristics that are expected with use of any type of chemical agent needs to be well understood before one resorts into chemical immobilization in any wild animal species.

This helps many times to avoid the untoward incidences that are likely to arise due to the chemical immobilization in case of wild fauna.

Gadgets used for Chemical Immobilisation

There are different kinds of gadgets that are being used to immobilize the wild animal species and these infrastructures are varying in terms of cost, procedure of usage, durability etc.

Different Gadgets Useful for Chemical Restraint

There are various gadgets available for chemically immobilizing of various species of wild animals. 

They need to be understood by any veterinarian who carries out the immobilization operation.

Different sites in various wild animal species like elephants, cervids, felids etc. need to be known before applying various gadgets for chemical restraint of wild animals.

Stick Syringes

Various stick syringes are available commercially. Silently, approach the animal cage where the non-human primate or the carnivore has been contained.

The quickly carry out the injection after the exposure of the correct site like a suitable muscular area in the abdomen.

The thrust needs to be made in proper manner and in a fast manner. Such actions may help for a successful delivery of the immobilizing agent or any other medicament.

Dart Syringe or Dart

Dart Syringe or Dart are the specialized syringes used for loading of the immobilizing drug like xylazine or ketamine or both or etorphine.

Darts are operated by mechanical pressure or by using the gas and proper loading of dart into the blow pipe is a must for a successful immobilization event.

These projectile syringes are generally propelled by blowing of air, pistol, long distance rifle. Cartridges may be used for the pressure if the distant delivery systems like rifles are used in case of wild animals.

Radio darts are available currently to locate the wild animal precisely in the forest environment and a small powerful impact resistant transmitter is attached behind the drug barrel with a projectile antenna.

Dart needles (collared or barbed or ordinary dart needles) are of more useful in delivery of drug materials.

Blow Pipe

The rigid blow pipe has a tube and a mouth cuff. The mouth cuff needs to be compact and in size to facilitate the adequate blowing of air.

The blowgun is becoming more popular among zoo veterinarians and the major merit is the silent projection. At the same time, this may cause lesser impact or trauma or injury to the targeted wild animal.

The average length of blow pipe is about 1 to 2 meters and the maximum range actually depends on the stamina of the user. In general, the average range is about fifteen meters.

Air Pressure Gun

Air Pressure Gun equipments mainly are similar to the blow pipe in structure but is bigger in size and has an added advantage of silent projections and low maintenance cost.

The gun stock may have inbuilt pressure gauge. Some times, the pressure gauge may be present at the foot pump.

It is to be remembered that the pressure requirement may have variations and this often depends on the size of the dart as well as the distance between the wild animal and the gun.

Air pressure of about four to eight bars is adequate to propel the dart upto a distance of about twenty to thirty meters.

Cross Bow

The cross bow is not much used now a day. Further, it is to be taken note of that the cross bow is not suitable for species under hundred Kg.

Cross Bow may be due to the high impact capacity that may be developed by the projected one.

Types and Purpose of Restraint

Palmer Cap-Chur equipments or Dist-inject equipments and Teleinject equipments are commonly used to effect the immobilization of multiple species of wild animals, in general.

The types of Palmer Cap-Chur equipment.

Pistol or short-range projector (Range is about fifteen meters)In this projector or the gun, the compressed carbon-di-oxide is  used for the development of the pressure.

Rifle or long-range projector (Range is about 35 meters)This is also using the power provided by compressed carbon-di-oxide.

Exra-long range projector (Range is about 80 meters). These equipments are powered by percussion caps.

A veterinarian associating with wild animal immobilization is supposed to understand well about the various effects of the multiple kinds of chemical agents that are routinely used for knocking down of wild animals of various species.