Capturing and Handling Wild Animals

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Publications Plant Health Inspection Service 2009 Capturing and Handling Wild Animals Sanford D. Schemnitz Johns Hopkins University, [email protected] Gordon R. Batcheller Johns Hopkins University Matthew J. Lovallo Johns Hopkins University H. Bryant White Johns Hopkins University Michael W. Fall Johns Hopkins University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc Schemnitz, Sanford D.; Batcheller, Gordon R.; Lovallo, Matthew J.; White, H. Bryant; and Fall, Michael W., "Capturing and Handling Wild Animals" (2009). USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications. 1191. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/1191 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Published in: N.J. Silvy (Ed.), The wildlife techniques manual. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD: 232-269. 3 Capturing and Handling Wild Animals SAN FORD D. SCH EM N ITZ, GORDON R. BATCHELLER, MATTH EW J. LOVALLO, H. BRYANT WHITE, AND MICHAEL W. FALL INTRODUCTION HE ART OF CAPTURING wild animals for food and clothing is as old as human existence on earth. However, in toclay's world, reasons for catch ~ T ing wild species are more diverse. Millions of wild animals are captured each year as part of damage and disease control programs, population regulation activities, wildlife management efforts, and research studies. Many aspects of ani mal capture, especially those associated with protected wildlife species, are highly regulated by both state and federal governmental agencies. Animal welfare con cerns are important regardless of the reason for capture. In addition, efficiency (the rate at which a device or system catches (he intended species) is a critical aspect of wild animal capture systems. Successful capture programs result from the efforts of experienced wildlife biol ogists and technicians who have planned, studied, and tested methods prior to starting any new program. State regulations related to animal capture vary widely. and licenses or permits, as well as specialized training. may be required by state wildlife agencies for scientists, managers, and others engaging in animal capture for research, damage management, or fur harvest. In stitutional Animal Care and Use Committees, required at universities and research institutions by the Animal Wel fare Act (U.S. Department of Agriculture 2002), often question whether scientists capturing animals for research have ensured that pain and distress are minimized by the techniques used. The information in this chapter will assist wildlife manage ment practitioners to identify appropriate equipment and obtain the necessary ap provals for its use. Researchers are encouraged to consult LineH (1993) and Gaunt et al. (1997) concerning guidelines and procedures relating to capture and handling permits. Major reviews of bird caprure techniques include Canadian Wildlife Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1977), Day et al. (1980), Davis (198 1), Keyes and Grue (1982), Bloom (1987), Bub (1991 ), Schemnitz (1994), and Gaunt et al. (1997). Detailed coverage of mammal capture methods include Day et a!. (1980). Novak et al. (1987), Schemnitz (1994), Wilson et al. (1996), American Society of Mammalo gists (1998), and Proulx (1999a). Mammal capture usually becomes more difficult as animal size increases. Thus, observational techniques and mammalian sign are of ten more efficient for obtaining both inventory and density information (jones et al. 1996). Several new techniques to caprure mammals ranging in size from small rodents to large carnivores have been developed in recent years. Some of these rep- CAPTURING AND HANDLING WILD ANIMALS 65 resen[ either improved or modified versions of traditional Table. 3.1. Dip and throw nets used to capture wildlife capture methods. Most animals are captured by hand, me chanical devices, remote injection of drugs. or drugs admin Group/species" Reference istered orally in baits. The emphasis in this chapter is on Birds methods and equipment other than remotely injecred drugs American white pelican Bowman et aL 1994 ( l982), ( l994), used for capture. Scott Heyer et aL Olson et aL California gull Bowman el al. 1994 (1997), and Simmons (2002) have compiled comprehensive Common loons Mirra er al. 2008 capture references for amphibians. Cormorants Bowman et a!. 1994, King et al . 1994 This chapter is a revision of Schemnitz (2005) and in Cranes Drewien and Clegg 1991 Doves cludes additional citations and new methods for the capture Morrow et al. 1987. S..... 'anson and RappoJe 199' and handling of wild animals. Users of this chaprer are en Eiders Snow et al. 1990 couraged to refer to th e series on wildlife techniques by Greater prairie·chicken Robel et al. 1970 Mosby (l960, 1963), Giles ( l969), Schemaitz (l980), Book Greater sage·grouse Wakkinen et al. 1992. hom (1994) and Braun (2005). Mammal researchers are en MurreJets Whitworth et OIL 1997 NighlJars Earle 1988 couraged to consult Gannon et al. (2007). They stress the Pelagic sea birds Gill el OIl. 1970, Bugoni et al. ZO(J8 need when live-trapping to provide adequate food, insula Swans Drewien et OIl. 1999 tion, and avoidance of temperature extremes. M"3mmals American beaver Rosell and Hovde 2001 Jackrabbit Griffith and Evans 1970 CAPTURING BIRDS Nutria Meyer 2006 Amphibians and reptiles Use of Nets Aqu3tic amphibians Wilson and Maret 2002. Welsh and Lind Dip and Throw Nets 2002 The common fish dip net has been used for capture or re capture of radiotagged birds for many years (Table 3.l). Un \ Scat'ntific names are gl~'e.n in Ap~ndix J.I like commercial nets, dip nets used to capture wildlife are usually constructed by the investigator. Constructed nets night lighting to locate them tram a light\veight (l80 kg) air usually have a larger diameter hoop (~ 1.5 m) and a longer boat during severe winter weather. King et a!. (1994) suc bandJe (3- 4 m), with mesh size being dependent on the type cessfully captured roosting double-crested cormorants using of animal being captured. Radioragged birds are first located night lighting from a boat at winter roosts in cypress trees at night using a "walk in" technique. The bird IS located by (TtlXodium distidwm; Fig. 3. 1). Cormorants were captured gradually circling it and then using a flashlight to temporar with a long-handled net in shallow water, Whitworth et a1. ily blind the bird. A long-handled, large-diameter dip net is (1997) combined the use of dip ners from small boats at sea then placed over the bird. If several birds roost wgether (es to capture Xanrus murrelets. Mitro et a1. (2008) used night pecially a hen with brood), a radiotagged bird can be used lighting to capture adult common loons with chicks. Gill et to locate a flock, and several ocher birds also can be trapped. aL (1970) and Bugoni et aL (2008) described the use of a cast Dark nights with light rain worked best when night lighting net thrown by hand from a fishing boat to capture scaveng birds. This technique can be used on nonradiotagged birds, ing pelagic sea birds attracted by bait thrown into the water. such as those roosting on roadsides. located on nests, non Bowman et aL (l994) successfully used night lighling to Oying yow1g on nests or flushed from nests, and birds roost survey, capture, and band island-nesting American white peli ing on water (collected by using boats and long-handled dip cans, double-crested cormorants. and California gulls. Disrur nets). The use of dip nets for capturing wildJife is limited bances to birds while night lighting was minimal, and [here only by tbe investigator's imagination. was no predation by guUs on eggs or chicks. Night lighting Drewien and Clegg (1991 ) had great success capturing was more effective for capturing young than for capturing sandhill and whooping cranes (scientific names for birds, adults. Snow et al. (1990) night-lighted common eiders during mammals, reptiles, and amphibians can be found in Appen the summer in shoal waters using deep hoop nets 46--61 cm dix 3. 1) using a ponable generawr mounted on an alumi in diameter attached to 3.7--4.3-m-Iong handles. num backpack frame and a l8·volr spotlight mounted on a Wakkinen et al. (l992) modified night spotlighting tech helmet to locate them (Table 3.2). Cranes were then cap niques by using binoculars in conjunction with a spotlight rured using long-bandied (3.0-3.6 m in length) nets, with to locate greater sage-grouse. Binoculars allowed greater best success on dark overcast nights when they were roost detection in 55 of 58 (95%) instances. Capmre success in ing in small flocks during summer. Well-trained pointing creased by >40%. dogs and 2-3-m-Iong handled nets have been used to cap Throw nets have been used to capture wildlife, but more rufe nesting and broods of American woodcock (Ammann sk.iIl is involved with this technique. These cast-nets are usu 1981 ). Drewien et al. (1999) captured trumpeter swans using ally used with night lighting to capture birds. Cast-nets also 66 SANFORD D. SCH5MNITZ 5T AL. Table 3.2. Night.lighting methods and equipment used to capture wildlife Group/species' Reference Birds Greater rhea Martella and Navarro 1992 American white pelican Bowmanecal.1994 Double-crested cormorant Bowman et al. 1994. King el al. 1994, 2000 Waterfowl Glasgow 195'7, Lindmeier and Jessen 1961, Cumming5 and Hewitt 1964, Drewien et al. 1967, Bishop and Barratt 1969, Merendino and Lobpries 1998 Trumpeter swan Drewien et al.

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