Abstract
Fifteen wild Japanese Black Bears, Ursus thibetanus japonicus, cought in cages for capture or wire traps, were immobilized intramuscularly with a combination of ketamine hydrochloride and xylazine hydrochloride in the bullet of blowgun or caputure rifle. Standard amount of the drug combination was assumed to be ketamine 10 mg/kg and xylazine 1.0 mg/kg in body weight 1 kg. The largest bear(a male)weighted 90 kg and the smallest bear(a female)weighted 26 kg. Actual drug dosages administered were ketamine 6.25 mg and xylazine 0.625 mg to ketamine 20.00 mg and xylazine 2.00 mg in body weight 1 kg. Immobilizing induction time were 3 to 11 minites. The total quantity of ketamine and xylazine solusion administered for each bears were 1.75(in a female weighted 26 kg) to 15 ml(in a male weighted 75 kg). Salivation and clonic spasm were slight in one bear, but the bear recovered without any treatment.
