Chemical immobilisation of free ranging Tibetan Wolf Canis lupus chanco Gray, 1863 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae) with Ketamine-Xylazine combination in Ladakh, India

Abstract

The Tibetan Wolf Canis lupus chanco is one of the two Critically Endangered species of Ladakh, India. Six free-ranging Tibetan wolves were immobilized using ketamine and xylazine mixture as part of the rescue operations. Dose rates of 4.92 ± 0.52 mg/kg body weight and 2.08 ± 0.29 mg/kg body weight for ketamine and xylazine respectively provided good level of anesthesia for carrying out effective capture. Drug induction was recorded at 4.4 ± 1.1 minutes with animal coming into sternal recumbency by 5.6 ± 1.5 minutes and animals were approached at 6.2 ± 1.7 minutes. Duration of anesthesia was 35.25 ± 6.07 minutes. Yohimbine administered for reversal at the dosage of 0.125 mg/kg body weight provided reversal effect with animal standing by 15.5 ± 4.2 minutes. The current information suggests that xylazine and ketamine mixture is effective and safe for capturing the free-ranging Tibetan Wolves for wildlife management interventions.