Harms N Jane, Jung Thomas S, Hallock Maria, Egli Katherina
1 Yukon Department of Environment, Box 2703, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 2C6, Canada.
2 Yukon Wildlife Preserve, Box 20191, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 7A2, Canada.
J Wildl Dis. 2018 Oct;54(4):819-824. doi: 10.7589/2017-09-232. Epub 2018 Jun 4.
Decreased access to potent narcotics for wildlife applications has stimulated the need to explore alternative drug combinations for ungulate immobilizations. A combination of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine (BAM) has been used for some ungulate species, but information on its use in bison ( Bison bison) is limited. We conducted field trials using BAM, in conjunction with atipamezole and naltrexone as antagonists, for reversible field immobilization of bison during ground- and helicopter-based operations. We compared times to induction and recovery, vital rates (rectal temperature and respiration rate), and the quality of induction, immobilization, and recovery between ground- and helicopter-based immobilizations of bison. Overall, 15 of 21 bison were induced with the volume we used (mean±SD=3.4±0.6 mL); two other animals darted from a helicopter required a full second dose, and four others (two darted from the ground and two from a helicopter) required a supplemental partial dose to achieve induction. All immobilizations achieved a sufficient plane of anesthesia to permit minor invasive procedures (e.g., skin biopsy and blood sampling). All animals recovered, and most (17 of 21) were reversed in ≤5 min. The mean time to induction was 10.8±7.3 min while that for recovery was 5.0±2.1 min. We found few differences in vital rates or the quality of immobilizations between ground- and helicopter-based captures. The drug combination provided good immobilization and was reliably reversed; however, inconsistent inductions at the doses we used may limit its use in field immobilizations of bison, particularly those animals being darted from a helicopter.
野生动物应用中强效麻醉药获取受限，促使人们探索用于有蹄类动物保定的替代药物组合。丁丙诺啡、氮哌酮和美托咪定（BAM）的组合已用于一些有蹄类动物，但关于其在野牛（Bison bison）中的使用信息有限。我们进行了实地试验，使用BAM，并结合阿替美唑和纳曲酮作为拮抗剂，在地面和直升机作业期间对野牛进行可逆性实地保定。我们比较了诱导和恢复时间、生命体征（直肠温度和呼吸频率），以及地面和直升机保定野牛时诱导、保定和恢复的质量。总体而言，21头野牛中有15头按我们使用的剂量诱导成功（均值±标准差=3.4±0.6 mL）；另外两头从直升机上注射的动物需要第二剂全量药物，还有四头（两头从地面注射，两头从直升机上注射）需要补充部分剂量才能成功诱导。所有保定均达到了足以允许进行小的侵入性操作（如皮肤活检和采血）的麻醉平面。所有动物均恢复，且大多数（21头中的17头）在≤5分钟内被逆转。诱导的平均时间为10.8±7.3分钟，而恢复的平均时间为5.0±2.1分钟。我们发现地面和直升机捕获之间在生命体征或保定质量方面几乎没有差异。该药物组合提供了良好的保定效果且能可靠地逆转；然而，我们使用的剂量诱导效果不一致，可能会限制其在野牛实地保定中的应用，尤其是那些从直升机上注射的动物。
