 Reference Base  The narcosis of the white rhinoceros: a series of eightee... |
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| Location: |
World |
| Subject: |
Translocation - Immobilization |
| Species: |
White Rhino |
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18 case studies - Ceratotherium simum. A case report of a series of 18 White (square-lipped) rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) narcotized with a morphine, or Themalon and tranquillizer mixture is given below. It is believed that this method constitutes a satisfactory approach to the immobilisation of the very large ungulates such as rhinoceros. The method has been successfully applied also to other animals including hippopotamus, black rhinoceros and elephant. No animals in this series, or in a previous series of 12 captured by a different drug combination, failed to recover from the narcosis.
There are indications that the narcosis induced is sufficient for light surgical interference, and that this interference may be carried out without manual restraint. In many cases the animals could be handled while they were standing on their feet and further injections made, or ear-tags affixed without their evincing signs of aggression, fear or pain. These animals, that were crated, entered their crates with only the minimum of coercion. An extensive wound on one animal was treated under the influence of tills drug mixture.
A shorter induction time was achieved in the previous series of 12 animals with the use of Phencylidine (Sernyl) instead of chlorpromazine as induction agent.
Prior to release into a crate the action of the principal narcotic morphine, or Themalon - would be reversed by substitution with Lethidrone. The narcotic mixture is injected intramuscularly in one projectile syringe, and the Lethidrone intravenously by hand.
Chemical names of drugs used.
Scopolamine = Hyoscine hydrobromide (B.P.).
Themalon = Diethylthiambutene hydrochloride (Burroughs, Welcome & Co).
Largactil = Chlorpromazine hydrochloride (May & Baker Ltd.).
Lethidrone = Nalorphine hydrobromide (Burroughs, Welcome & Co.).
Morphine = Morphine sulphate B.P.
Phencylidine = 1- (1-Phenylcyclohexyl) piperidine monohydrochloride (Parke, Davis & Co.).
No. Sex Weight Dose Immobilization Lethidrone
Morphine Hyoscine Largactil time
lbs. mg mgm mgm min mgm
1 M 3500 1.5 175 725 45 1100
2 F 3000 1.25 125 625 30 140
3 F 3000 1.5 150 725 22 900
4 M 2700 1.25 100 500 50 1140
5 F 2000 1.25 100 750 45 700
6 F 3400 1.5 100 750 95 400 (after 10 hrs)
7 F 2800 1.5 100 725 55 600
8 M 4000 2.25 100 200 27 200
9 M 1000 4 125 725 47 0
10 F 2500 3 150 800 25 400 (after 4 hrs)
11 F 3000 3 150 700 25 200
12 M 2800 2 100 700 40 200
13 M 4000 2 100 700 35 400
14 M 2500 3.5 100 725 32 160
15 F 3000 3.5 100 725 70 40
16 F 3000 3.5 100 725 35 360
17 M 2700 4 125 725 60
18 F 2900 4 125 725 20 120
Rhino No. 1: Sex: male, Weight: 3,500 lbs.
Dose: 1,5 mg morphine, 175 mgm.Hyoscine, 725 mgm.Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 45 mins. Lethidrone: 1100 mgm.
Taken to enclosure after crating and later transported 400 miles to a game park.
Rhino No. 2: Sex: female, Weight: 3,000 lbs.
Dose: 1.25 gms. morphine, 125 mgm, Hyoscine, 625 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 30 mins., Lethidrone: 400 mgm.
Largactil: 140 mgm administered in crate.
Taken to enclosure after crating and later transported 400 miles to a game park.
Rhino No. 3: Sex: female, Weight: 3,000 lbs.
Dose: 1.5 gm. morphine, 150 mgm Hyoscine, 725 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 22 mins.
Lethidrone: 900 mgm.
Taken to enclosure after crating and five days later transported 400 miles to a game park.
Rhino No. 4: Sex: male, Weight: 2,700 Ibs.
Dose: 1.25 gm. morphine, 100 mgm. Hyoscine, 500 mgm.Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 50 mins.
Lethidrone: 1140 mgm.
Taken to enclosure after crating and four days later transported 400 miles to a game park.
Rhino No. 5: Recapture of a rhinoceros that had strayed from a game park.
Sex: female., Weight: 2,000 Ibs.
Dose:1,25 gm. morphine, 100 mgm. Hyoscine, 750 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 45 mins., Lethidrone: 700 mgm.
Transported 40 miles immediately in crate.
Rhino No. 6: Sex: female, Weight: 3,400 lbs.
Dose: 1.5 gm. morphine, 100 mgm. Hyoscine, 750 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 1 hour. 35 mins.
Lethidrone: 400 mgm. (Administered 10 hours after immobilisation and after the animal had been transported 40 miles to an enclosure).
This animal was not crated, but loaded direct on to the vehicle.
Rhino No. 7: Sex: female, Weight: 2,800 Ibs.
Dose: 1.5 gm. morphine, 100 mgm. Hyoscine, 725 mgm. Largactil. Given extra dose of 0.25 gm. morphine and 500 mgm.Largactil as animal was difficult to handle when found. The original syringe struck the thoracic area and absorbtion hindered.
Immobilisation time: 55 mins., Lethidrone: 600 mgm.
Transported 40 miles to enclosure in a crate. Then to a game reserve 200 miles away, a week later.
Rhino No. 8. Sex: male., Weight: 4,000 Ibs.
Dose: 2.25 gm. morphine, 100 mgm. Hyoscine, 200 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 27 mins., Lethidrone: 200 mgm. and another 200 mgm. 12 hours later after 200 mile journey to a game reserve.
Largactil: 500 mgm. extra given on journey.
Rhino No. 9. Sex: male, Estimated weight: 2,000 lbs., later revised to 1,000 Ibs.
Dose: 4 gm. Themalon, 125 mgm. Hyoscine, 725 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 47 mins., Lethidione: Nil, was loaded direct on to lorry and taken 40 miles to enclosure.
N.B. Three-quarters of the drug dose was not injected, and was found remaining in the syringe.
Rhino No. 10. Sex: female, Weight: 2,500 Ibs.
Dose: 3 gm. Themalon, 150 mgm. Hyoscine, 800 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 25 mins.
Lethidrone: 400 mgm. given four hours after immobilisation.
Loaded direct on to lorry and taken 10 miles to enclosure.
Rhino No. 11. Sex: female, Weight: 3,000 lbs.
Dose: 3 gm. Themalon, 150 mgm. Hyoscine, 700 mgm. Largactil.
Extra dose of 0,5 gm.Themalon plus 150 mgm. Largactil given as the animal was struggling to rise when she was reached.
Immobilisation time: 25 mins., Lethidrone: 200 mgm.
Extra dose of 400 mgm. Largactil administered during 30 mile journey to enclosure.
Animal loaded straight on to lorry to reach the enclosure and not into crate. Taken 200 miles to a game reserve one week later.
Rhino No. 12. Sex: male, Weight: 2,800 Ibs.
Dose: 2 gm. Themalon, 100 mgm. Hyoscine, 700 mgm Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 40 mins., Lethidrone: 200 mgm.
Animal loaded into crate and transported 15 miles to enclosure.
Rhino No. 13. Sex: male, Weight: 4,000 Ibs.
Dose: 2 gm. morphine, 100 mgrn. Hyoscine, 700 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 35 mins., but did not go down until 2 hrs. later. Could be approached and handled, however, after 35 minutes.
Animal had extensive wound on leg, the treatment of which was the reason for capture. The wound was dressed, 6 mega units penicillin injected and the animal was tagged and released.
Lethidrone: 400 mgm.
Rhino No. 14. Sex: male, Weight: 2,500 lbs.
Dose: 3,5 gm. Themalon, 100 mgm. Hyoscine, 725 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 32 mins., Lethidrone: 160 mgm.
Animal transported 475 miles to game park. Complete recovery occurred without further administration of Lethidrone. 160 mgm. more Largactil was given during journey.
Rhino No. 15. Sex: female, Weight: 3,000 Ibs.
Dose: 3.5 gm. Themalon, 100 mgm. Hyoscine, 725 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 70 mins. (Animal was in advanced pregnancy).
Lethidrone: 40 mgm. only.
She got up and went over the edge of an almost vertical precipice. Another 40 mgm. Lethidrone was given. The animal was then pulled up the side with a 1 ? inch head rope and twenty porters. Later transported 475 miles to a game park.
Rhino No. 16. Sex: female, Estimated weight: 2,800 lbs later revised to 3,000 lbs.
Dose: 3.5 gm. Themalon, 100 mgm, Hyoscine, 725 mgm Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 35 mins., Lethidrone: 360 mgm.
Transported 12 miles to enclosure in a crate.
Rhino No. 17. Sex: male, Weight: 2,700 lbs.
Dose: 4 gm. Themalon, 125 mgm. Hyoscine, 725 mgm. Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 60 mins. About 10% of the drug dose remained in the syringe after injection.
Lethidrone: (just enough to enable him to get up and walk into the crate.) Later transported 475 miles to a game park.
Rhino No. 18. Sex: female, Weight: 2,900 lbs.
Dose: 4 gm. Themalon, 125 mgm. Hyoscine, 725 mgm, Largactil.
Immobilisation time: 20 mins., Lethidrone: 120 mgm.
Animal was led out of a deep donga on to a flat plain before entering the crate. Transported 475 miles to a game park.
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