Chemical restraint of wild horses: effects on reproduction and social structure.
Twenty-three (9 male, 14 female) wild horses (Equus caballus) in the Great Basin Desert were immobilized by ground techniques with succinylcholine chloride during 1,950 person-hr. Induction (means = 2.09 +/- 0.59 min) and recovery (means = 12.4 +/- 5.0 min) were rapid and most animals were returned in less than 10 min to original bands. Dosages ranged from 0.66-0.77 mg/kg body weight and neither abortions nor band changes in group membership resulted. However, a few concerted efforts up to 24 hr were needed to return some animals to original bands and three non-drug related mortalities occurred. The responses of bands to darted members and the overall influence of the operation on reproduction, movements, and social structure are presented.
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D007103:Immobilization; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D012919:Social Behavior; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013390:Succinylcholine