How Wild Animals are Tranquilised?

Discover how wild animals are safely tranquilized using specialized techniques and equipment for conservation, medical care, or relocation. Learn about the science and precautions behind this critical wildlife management process.

Table of Contents

Context: After three weeks of attempts, three-year-old tigress Zeenat was sedated and captured in West Bengal’s Bankura forest.

Evolution of Wildlife Capture

Early Methods:
- Before the 20th century, commercial animal catchers used lassos, traps, and pitfalls. These cruel methods often resulted in slaughter of mothers to capture calves.
Hague Peace Convention (1899): It banned Dum-dum bullets (used by the British Army) due to their gruesome effects. This led to experiments like narcotic bullets (1912) to ensure painless animal captures.

Invention of Modern Tranquilizer Guns

In 1956 Colin Murdoch invented disposable plastic syringes and the modern tranquilizer gun.
Components:
- Ballistic syringe filled with drugs and tipped with a hypodermic needle.
- It is propelled using compressed CO2 gas.
- A feathered tailpiece stabilizes the dart in flight.
- Dart’s barb ensures the full dose is delivered under the skin.
Effective shooting range: Up to 200 ft (typically 50 ft for tigers).

Drugs Used in Wildlife Tranquilization

M99 (Etorphine): An opioid stronger than morphine, used for large mammals like elephants.
Xylazine + Ketamine: Increasing misuse of Xylazine (as Tranq) and Ketamine (as a date-rape drug) has restricted their availability.
Telazol: A pre-mixed combination of Tiletamine and Zolazepam, becoming a popular alternative.