Chemical immobilization of free-ranging and captive Sunda clouded leopards (Neofelis diardi) with two anesthetic protocols: medetomidine-ketamine and tiletamine-zolazepam

Current practice for the chemical immobilisation of non-domestic feline species: An online survey study

BACKGROUND

Safe chemical immobilisation of wild felids is essential for both conservational management and clinical purposes. However, little is known about drug protocols and current practice.

METHODS

This study was designed as an online survey based on a questionnaire. Descriptive/correlation statistics and analysis of proportions were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

The preferred immobilisation technique was the use of darts (37% of the respondents), while the most popular drug combination was a mixture of benzodiazepines, alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonists and dissociative anaesthetics (27%). The inclusion of ketamine in the drug mixture was associated with a quicker anaesthetic onset, as estimated by the participants (p < 0.001). Common complications were prolonged recovery (46%), bradycardia (35%), hypoventilation (32%), hypothermia (26%) and arousal (26%). Commonly encountered problems were inappropriate equipment (39%), lack of suitable drugs (27%) and inadequate knowledge of species-specific pharmacology (29%) and physiology (24%).

LIMITATIONS

Incomplete adherence to the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys is acknowledged.

CONCLUSIONS

Drug protocols including both alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonists and dissociative anaesthetics are preferred in wild felids, and the inclusion of ketamine may be useful to achieve a quick onset. Equipment/drug availability and species-specific knowledge are potential areas of improvement to improve wild felid anaesthesia.

The first use of a photogrammetry drone to estimate population abundance and predict age structure of threatened Sumatran elephants

Wildlife monitoring in tropical rainforests poses additional challenges due to species often being elusive, cryptic, faintly colored, and preferring concealable, or difficult to access habitats. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) prove promising for wildlife surveys in different ecosystems in tropical forests and can be crucial in conserving inaccessible biodiverse areas and their associated species. Traditional surveys that involve infiltrating animal habitats could adversely affect the habits and behavior of elusive and cryptic species in response to human presence. Moreover, collecting data through traditional surveys to simultaneously estimate the abundance and demographic rates of communities of species is often prohibitively time-intensive and expensive. This study assesses the scope of drones to non-invasively access the Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape (BTL) in Riau-Jambi, Indonesia, and detect individual elephants of interest. A rotary-wing quadcopter with a vision-based sensor was tested to estimate the elephant population size and age structure. We developed hierarchical modeling and deep learning CNN to estimate elephant abundance and age structure. Drones successfully observed 96 distinct individuals at 8 locations out of 11 sampling areas. We obtained an estimate of the elephant population of 151 individuals (95% CI [124, 179]) within the study area and predicted more adult animals than subadults and juvenile individuals in the population. Our calculations may serve as a vital spark for innovation for future UAV survey designs in large areas with complex topographies while reducing operational effort.

Comparison of anesthetic effects of tiletamine-zolazepam-medetomidine or ketamine-medetomidine in captive Amur leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis euptailurus)

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effects and utility of tiletamine-zolazepam-medetomidine (TZM) and ketamine-medetomidine (KM) for anesthesia of Amur leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis euptailurus).

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, randomized experimental trial.

ANIMALS

A total of six female (3.70 ± 0.49 kg) and six male (5.03 ± 0.44 kg; mean ± standard deviation) Amur leopard cats aged 2-6 years.

METHODS

Each animal was administered four protocols separated by ≥3 weeks. Each protocol included medetomidine (0.05 mg kg^-1) combined with tiletamine-zolazepam (1 mg kg^-1; protocol MTZ_LO); tiletamine-zolazepam (2 mg kg^-1; protocol MTZ_HI); ketamine (2 mg kg^-1; protocol MK_LO); or ketamine (4 mg kg^-1; MK_HI) administered intramuscularly. At time 0 (onset of lateral recumbency) and 30 minutes, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (f_R), rectal temperature, noninvasive mean arterial pressure (MAP) and hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SpO₂) were recorded. Times to onset of lateral recumbency, duration of anesthesia and time to standing were recorded.

RESULTS

Overall, animals were anesthetized with all protocols within 10 minutes, anesthesia was maintained ≥57 minutes, and recovery (time from the first head lift to standing) was completed within 5 minutes. During anesthesia with all protocols, HR, f_R, rectal temperature, SpO₂ and MAP were 99-125 beats minute^-1, 33-44 breaths minute^-1, 37.6-39.4 °C, 90-95% and 152-177 mmHg, respectively. No adverse event was observed.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

TZM and KM at various dosages resulted in rapid onset of anesthesia, duration of >57 minutes and rapid recovery without administration of an antagonist. Accordingly, all these combinations are useful for anesthetizing Amur leopard cats and for performing simple procedures. However, the low doses of the anesthetic agents are recommended because there was no difference in duration of anesthesia between the dose rates studied.

Male residency of Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi (Cuvier, 1823) (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in a peat swamp forest, Indonesian Borneo

The Sunda Clouded Leopard Neofelis diardi is the apex predator on the island of Borneo, yet little is known of its ecology.  We document the length of residency of male Sunda Clouded Leopards in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.  Over 10 years, camera trap data have been obtained in the Sebangau peat swamp forest in a study area of ~ 105km2.  We identified 11 individuals (eight males, one female, and two with unknown sex), from 152 notionally independent photographs.  On average, males remained in the study area for 39.3 months (SE 8.3), or 3.3 years (SE 0.7), ranging from less than a month of residency up to 71 months.  Females were infrequently recorded, possibly as a result of human disturbance and/or high male densities.  Our results reveal that even a 10-year dataset is inadequate to answer some basic ecological questions, emphasising the importance of long-term monitoring of this species.

Measuring body dimensions of leopards (Panthera pardus) from camera trap photographs

Measurement of body dimensions of carnivores usually requires the chemical immobilization of subjects. This process can be dangerous, costly and potentially harmful to the target individuals. Development of an alternative, inexpensive, and non-invasive method therefore warrants attention. The objective of this study was to test whether it is possible to obtain accurate measurements of body dimensions of leopards from camera trap photographs. A total of 10 leopards (Panthera pardus) were captured and collared at Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, Zimbabwe from May 7 to June 20, 2017 and four body measurements namely shoulder height, head-to-tail, body, and tail length were recorded. The same measurements were taken from 101 scaled photographs of the leopards recorded during a baited-camera trapping (BCT) survey conducted from July 1 to October 22, 2017 and differences from the actual measurements calculated. Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Models were used to determine the effect of type of body measurement, photographic scale, posture, and sex on the accuracy of the photograph-based measurements. Type of body measurement and posture had a significant influence on accuracy. Least squares means of absolute differences between actual and photographic measurements showed that body length in the level back-straight forelimb-parallel tail posture was measured most accurately from photographs (2.0 cm, 95% CI [1.5–2.7 cm]), while head-to-tail dimensions in the arched back-bent forelimb-parallel tail posture were least accurate (8.3 cm, 95% CI [6.1–11.2 cm]). Using the BCT design, we conclude that it is possible to collect accurate morphometric data of leopards from camera trap photographs. Repeat measurements over time can provide researchers with vital body size and growth rate information which may help improve the monitoring and management of species of conservation concern, such as leopards.

Isolation and preservation of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow of Arabian leopard (Panthera pradus nimr)

The Arabian leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) is critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with an effective population of 150-250 across its entire range in the Arabian Peninsula. Isolation and preservation of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells is beneficial both for medical and research purposes. The optimal protocol for collection, handling, culturing and preserving the Arabian leopard mesenchymal stem cells acquired from bone marrow was established. Anesthesia with combination of medetomidine and tiletamine-zozalepam is the safest option even for old animals with concurrent disease including chronic kidney disease.

Spatio-temporal ecology of sympatric felids on Borneo. Evidence for resource partitioning?

Niche differentiation, the partitioning of resources along one or more axes of a species' niche hyper-volume, is widely recognised as an important mechanism for sympatric species to reduce interspecific competition and predation risk, and thus facilitate co-existence. Resource partitioning may be facilitated by behavioural differentiation along three main niche dimensions: habitat, food and time. In this study, we investigate the extent to which these mechanisms can explain the coexistence of an assemblage of five sympatric felids in Borneo. Using multi-scale logistic regression, we show that Bornean felids exhibit differences in both their broad and fine-scale habitat use. We calculate temporal activity patterns and overlap between these species, and present evidence for temporal separation within this felid guild. Lastly, we conducted an all-subsets logistic regression to predict the occurrence of each felid species as a function of the co-occurrence of a large number of other species and showed that Bornean felids co-occurred with a range of other species, some of which could be candidate prey. Our study reveals apparent resource partitioning within the Bornean felid assemblage, operating along all three niche dimension axes. These results provide new insights into the ecology of these species and the broader community in which they live and also provide important information for conservation planning for this guild of predators.