IMMOBILIZATION OF HIMALAYAN TAHR WITH A XYLAZINE–KETAMINE MIXTURE AND REVERSAL WITH ATIPAMEZOLE UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS Open Access

Twenty-nine free-ranging Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) were darted in the Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal) using different combinations of xylazine and ketamine. Animals in Group 1 (n=4) received a mean xylazine–ketamine dose of 2.77±0.99 mg/kg xylazine plus 3.32±0.19 mg/kg ketamine in males and 2.39±0.10 mg/kg xylazine plus 4.29±0.17 mg/kg ketamine in females. Animals in Group 2 (n=25) received a mean xylazine–ketamine dose of 1.70±0.41 mg/kg xylazine plus 3.06±0.74 mg/kg ketamine in males and 1.82±0.29 mg/kg xylazine plus 3.29±0.52 mg/kg ketamine in females. No anesthetic-related mortality was recorded. Anesthesia was reversed by a standard dose of 11 mg/animal of atipamezole administered by intramuscular injection. Although all anesthetic dosages immobilized free-ranging tahr successfully, a quick and smooth recovery was obtained (11.1±5.6 min) only with the dosages of Group 2.