Wildlife capture in Zambia – An evaluation of immobilization techniques and physiological parameters on wild ungulates

Abstract

There is an increasing need for the development of immobilization techniques on wild ungulates. Many African ungulates are kept in national parks, conservation parks and game ranches, and the immobilization of these ungulates are often necessary managing such areas. Conserving wild species carries a significant responsibility for ensuring proper animal welfare. However, knowledge of the capture-induced stress in wild African ungulates is limited. This study aims to evaluate different immobilization techniques and physiological parameters like body temperature, serum cortisol and blood biochemistry values in wild Zambian ungulates. This study consists of both physical capture by boma and chemical capture by darting, and the ungulates were captured for translocation reasons. A total of 15 ungulates were captured including the species impala (Aepyceros melampus), sable antelope (Hippotragus niger), roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus), puku (Kobus vardonii) and kudu (Tragelaphus stresiceros). Venous blood samples were collected from 12 of the captured ungulates. The samples were analysed for cortisol by DetectX® Cortisol ELISA kit. The selected biochemistry parameters ALT, AST, CK, glucose and creatinine, were analysed by Atellica® CH Analyzer. The blood sample results indicated a correlation between cortisol levels and body temperature with elevated cortisol levels and elevated body temperature. We found no correlation between body temperature and ambient temperature. The ungulates with the highest CK measurements exhibited significant muscle activity prior to sampling. During the captures of this study, there was one recorded incident of mortality and three incidents of capture-related injuries. There is a critical need for further research to enhance animal welfare during the capture of wild African ungulates, with the goal of minimizing capture-induced morbidity and mortality. The research should include a variety of ungulate species to address their unique requirements.