Polar Biology

, Volume 28, Issue 8, pp 631–636 | Cite as

Immobilisation of free-living Weddell seals Leptonychotes weddellii using midazolam and isoflurane

  • Kate Bodley
  • Tamara van Polanen Petel
  • Nicholas Gales
Original Paper
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:

Abstract

Eleven lactating female Weddell seals were immobilised using inhaled isoflurane and oxygen, having initially been sedated using an intramuscular injection of midazolam. The seals were selected from colonies in Long Fjord, East Antarctica. Isoflurane was delivered using a precision, out-of-circle vaporiser in a portable, heated, semi-closed circle system anaesthetic machine. Induction time (time from injection of midazolam to detected maximal effect of midazolam) ranged from 12 min to 29 min. The maximal effect of midazolam was assessed as being either moderate sedation (n=9) or heavy sedation (n=2), and the maximal effect of inhaled isoflurane and oxygen was assessed as being light anaesthesia (n=11). The level of chemical restraint achieved using this combination allowed attachment of heart rate monitoring units and collection of biological samples. Recovery time ranged from 1 min to 11 min. The anaesthetic regime proved a practical, safe and reliable method for the immobilisation of lactating Weddell seals under conditions of low environmental temperature.

Keywords

Midazolam Sevoflurane Phase Change Material Flumazenil Weddell Seal 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Marjolein van Polanen Petel for her excellent work as a field assistant and the other ANARE expeditioners at Davis Station over the 2002/03 summer. Fieldwork in Antarctica was supported by the Australian Antarctic Division, Sea World Research and Rescue Foundation and the University of Tasmania. Roche Products Pty Ltd generously donated the flumazenil used in the study. The study was conducted with the permission from Antarctic Animal Ethics Committee, Australian Antarctic Division and Animal Ethics Committee of the University of Tasmania. We thank the referees appointed by the editor for valuable advice on this manuscript.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2005

Authors and Affiliations

  • Kate Bodley
    • 1
    • 4
  • Tamara van Polanen Petel
    • 2
  • Nicholas Gales
    • 3
  1. 1.Human Impacts Research ProgramAustralian Antarctic DivisionKingstonTasmania
  2. 2.Antarctic Wildlife Research UnitUniversity of Tasmania, School of ZoologyHobartTasmania
  3. 3.Australian Antarctic DivisionKingstonTasmania
  4. 4.Melbourne ZooParkvilleVictoria

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