Comparative evaluation of effort, capture and handling effects of drive nets to capture roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) and Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica)

Abstract

The objective of this study is to assess the usefulness of drive nets to capture roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) and Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica), comparing the results obtained with other capture methods and amongst the three species. Sixty-five drive net capture operations using beaters were conducted from January 1998 to September 2004. A total of 161 wild ungulates (31 roe deer, 95 Southern chamois and 35 Spanish ibexes) were captured. The average number of animals captured per operation was 1.07 for roe deer, 3.96 for Southern chamois and 2.92 for Spanish ibex. The average number of person-days per captured animal was 21.5, 7.1 and 10.6 for roe deer, Southern chamois and Spanish ibex, respectively. Specificity was 100% for Southern chamois and Spanish ibex (only the target species captured) and 77.5% for roe deer. Risk for the animals (mortality plus injuries) was 3.23% for roe deer, 5.27% for Southern chamois and 0% for Spanish ibex, whereas injuries to the operators occurred with 3.1% of the handled animals. Sex ratio was skewed towards females in roe deer, towards males in Southern chamois and balanced in Southern chamois. Drive nets showed good performance, although many operators were required. Safety for the animals and specificity were higher than traditionally attributed to this capture method. It is concluded that drive nets are an efficient and safe method to capture many ungulate species.

Haloperidol and Azaperone in Drive-net Captured Southern Chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica)

“…Azaperone seemed to worsen hyperthermia probably due to paradoxical excitement (Ebedes and Raath, 1999). However, the lower temperature values of the haloperidol-treated group at the end of the monitoring period could be related to vasodilation-induced heat dissipation, as previously reported for phenothiazines (Ló pez-Olvera et al 2006b.…”

“…This elusive species inhabits wild, steep mountain environments making capture by teleanesthesia difficult and risky; this has been described for other mountain species (Abderhalden et al, 1998). Drive-nets have been reported to be safe (2.1% mortality rate) and efficient for capturing chamois (Meneguz et al, 1994;Ló pez-Olvera et al, 2009) but stress must be kept to a minimum in order to prevent capture myopathy and improve animal welfare (Spraker, 1993).…”

“…Catecholamines and corticosteroids released during stress, together with prolonged exertion, induce changes in hematologic, serum biochemical, and physiologic parameters that are proposed stress indicators (Guyton and Hall, 2006). Physical capture increases heart rate, body temperature, erythrocyte (RBC) count, packed-cell volume (PCV), and serum concentrations of hemoglobin (HGB), lactate, creatinine, urea, bilirubin, chloride, potassium, and muscular enzymes (Ló pez-Olvera et al, 2007). Hyperthermia and lactic acidosis may end in capture myopathy, one of the most common complications of wild animal capture (Williams and Thorne, 1996).…”

“…The appropriate use of tranquilizers may improve chamois welfare (Ló pez-Olvera et al, 2007). Both haloperidol and azaperone are short-acting neuroleptics belonging to the butyrophenones, whose tranquilizing effect is achieved through central dopaminergic and peripheral adrenergic blockade.…”

“…Both heart rate and rectal temperature were measured and recorded at 60-sec intervals for at least 2 hr using recording devices (Polar Vantage NV and Polar S710i, Polar Electro Oy, Kempele, Finland and Mä tman datalogger, Eltex of Sweden AB, Almut, Sweden), as previously described (Ló pez-Olvera et al, 2007). The mean value for every 5-min period was calculated for statistical analysis.…”