Report on chemically capturing Impala's

What is Chemical capture?

Depending on the species, different drugs are used by a veterinarian to immobilize animals. This can be done in order to capture individual animals (usually done with expensive animals) for translocation or to do blood test or samples etc. The amount of the drug depends on the size of the animal it is used on and in this case the amount for an impala ewe is known only to the darter.

Why chemical capture?

We conducted the activity because an outside farmer was in need of Impala ewes for the males he has on his farm, and the goal is to breed with them. His goal is 20 ewes and we do this chemically because in this way he can choose the better looking ones out of the herd which gives him a better gene pool. When conducting chemical capture you don’t use a helicopter which means the cost of the capture is less, but may build up in the cost of the drugs that need to be bought for the activity.

What chemicals are needed per Impala ewe?

In the Dart: M3080 - this is for sedation

Vitamins: Vitamin BCo (4ml), Vitamin Ease (1ml) – to boost the system to prevent it from crashing

To Revive: M5050 (0.2ml)

Dewormer: Dectomax (1ml)

Equipment needed to conduct the activity:

• Three vehicles
• Holding container
• Dart gun
• Chemicals
• Tags, tagger and permanent marker
• Syringes
• Stretcher
• Tracker and aerial

 The process of chemically capturing Impala:

1.        

Firstly  you need to set up the holding container in an area not too far away from where the capturing will take place so you don’t have to transport the animal too far every time.

2.      

 All equipment must be ready for the capture before the activity starts: tags, darts, chemicals and the tracker.

3.     

  All helpers must be divided into even groups on each vehicle so that there are people to help spot and carry the Impala.

4.     

  When the ewe is darted you need to keep an eye on it preventing you from losing track of it, otherwise you need to look for it and there is a risk of the dart falling off of the Impala.

5.      

 When the Impala has fallen after about  5min, you need to get to it as quick as possible, remove the tongue from the mouth preventing it from choking on it. The vitamins need to be given and the left ear tagged with the correct number. The number needs to be on the inside of the ear and on the left because females get tagged on the left and males on the right.

6.      

 The head needs to be held upright so she does not drown and the body needs to be aligned with the legs underneath the body. Then lifted on to the stretcher by two or three people keeping the body straight and then on to the transporting vehicle.

7.        

She needs to be revived with M5050 when in the container and you need to check her breaths when transporting. The average needs to be 20 breaths per minute.

8.     

  When she has awakened and she is stable, the transporter needs to return to the darter. In the case of the dart falling out or the ewe running into the veld, you use the tracker and aerial to find the dart.

9.        

When the quota is met you need to transport the Impalas to their destination a.s.a.p to reduce stress and make sure all chemicals are contained safely.

We transported them to the wlc to be held in captivity until the quota is met. There after they were all chased into the container to be transported to the farm where they will be used for breeding purposes.