Influence of stress on wild Marsican brown bear chemical immobilization.

• Main Authors: DE BENEDICTIS, GIULIA MARIA, Tubiana Elisa, Di Pirro Vincenza, Latini Roberta, Gentile Leonardo
• Other Authors: Tubiana, Elisa, Di Pirro, Vincenza, Latini, Roberta, Gentile, Leonardo
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Bear; stress; anaesthesia; Aldrich; Ursus arctos
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11577/2842501; http://www.iba-greece-2014.com

Capture of wild bears with leg holding snares causes fear, anxiety, excitement, muscular activity and resistance to holding which in turn elicit in an acute stress response: neuro-hormonal responses are then activated, but these may interfere with anaesthetics efficacy and safety. Hormonal and physiological parameters have been used to evaluate stress level in bears after chemical immobilization; to our knowledge however, behavioral indicators prior to drug injection have never been used to evaluate it. The aim of this study was to evaluate if stress induced using Aldrich snare’s restraint influenced anesthetics requirements for chemical immobilization and physiological parameters. Data sheets collected during 43 adult Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus) captures (27 males and 16 females) in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park (Italy) were reviewed. Before chemical immobilization, a stress score (0 - 4) was assigned to each bear by an experienced veterinarian (LG) based on the behavioral reactions to leg-holding snare entrapment. A medetomidine-ketamine combination was administered intramuscularly by remote injection: supplemental doses were injected until a safe approach to the animal was possible. Dose used, induction time (time from injection to recumbency), approach time (time from injection to safe handling) and physiological parameters collected within 15 ± 5 minutes of chemical immobilization were analyzed by Spearmann correlation test. Stress score showed a positive correlation with the total dose of medetomidine (r=0.0030) and ketamine used (r=0.0008): more stressed bears required greater dosages then less stressed animals. Stress score positively correlated with rectal temperature (r=0.015) and heart rate (r=0.044). Time to approach was correlated to stress only in female, not in male bears. Other slight differences were observed between male and female bears. This is the first study evaluating the level of stress induced by physical restraint in Marsican brown bears and it showed ...