Helicopter immobilization of elk in southcentral Washington
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
- Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States)
Free-ranging elk are commonly immobilized for research or management by rifle-fired darts shot from a helicopter. Compounds used for this purpose have included succinylcholine chloride (succinylcholine), etorphine hydrochloride (etorphine), and xylazine hydrochloride (xylazine). To assess the efficacy of various immobilizing drugs used in helicopter applications, we darted 38 elk from a helicopter on the Arid Lands Ecology Reserve, Washington from 1983 to 1987. We used either succinylcholine, etorphine hydrochloride, or xylazine hydrochloride a primary immobilants. Unsuccessful immobilizations were most common in elk darted with succinylcholine. Yohimbine was used to reverse xylazine immobilizations. The use of xylazine and yohimbine provides an efficient, cost-effective alternative to etorphine, diprenorphine immobilization and reversal in elk while increasing handler safety. Etorphine appeared to be the best immobilant when extended pain-producing procedures (such as surgical telemetry implantation) are planned because it induced the longest and deepest anesthesia. When the potential to lose contact with darted animals exist, we believe succinylcholine may be the preferred immobilant because of rapid, spontaneous recovery.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 5520357
- Journal Information:
- Northwest Science; (United States), Vol. 62:1; ISSN 0029-344X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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