Abstract
The capture and chemical immobilization of wild Hokkaido sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) have started since 1981 at Nakajima Island, Hokkaido, Japan. We reviewed the techniques of capture and chemical immobilization for the deer. The capture techniques that were mainly used at present were a corral trap, the alpine capture system, a box trap, a blowpipe and a dart gun. And xylazine-ketamine mixture or medetomidine-ketamine mixture were commonly used for chemical immobilization. The induction dosage of xylazine-ketamine mixture as follow, xylazine: 1.2-2.0mg/kg, ketamine: 1.2-6.0mg/kg. The induction dosage of medetomidine-ketamine mixture as follow, medetomidine: 35.7-98.4μg/kg, ketamine: 1.6-7.7mg/kg. These mixtures were administered intramuscularly by a blowpipe or a dart gun. During immobilization, respiratory rate, heart rate, rectal temparture and the color of gums were monitored. The normal ranges of respiratory rate, heart rate and rectal temperture were 30-40/min, 50-70/min and 38.0-39.5℃, respectively. Atipamezole was used as an antagonist for the both mixtures and administered intravenously and/or intramuscularly. The dosage of atipamezole for xylazine was 1/10 of xylazine dose, for medetomidine was five times of medetomidine dose.
