Chemical Restraint of Free-ranging South American Coatis ( Nasua nasua ) with a Combination of Tiletamine and Zolazepam.

We describe the use of a combination of tiletamine and zolazepam (Zoletil (R)) for chemical restraint of South American coatis (Nasua nasua) under field conditions. We immobilized 53 coatis from a free-ranging population at Iguacu National Park, Brazil, with Zoletil. Males and females (1.0-8.7 kg) of different age groups participated in the study. Four dosage (milligram per kilogram body weight) groups were created based on quartiles as follows: 1) 4.76-6.68 mg/kg (n = 13), 2) 6.83-7.71 mg/kg (n = 13), 3) 7.72-8.68 mg/kg (n = 18), and 4) 8.98-11.57 mg/kg (n = 9). Variables analyzed were sex, age, body weight, dosage, induction time, handling time (HT: time elapsed between the onset of immobilization and first signs of recovery), time from injection to first stand-up posture after anesthesia, heart and respiratory rates, and body temperature. Mean (+/- SD) induction time was 2.9 (+/- 1.4) min and was positively correlated with age. In dosage groups 1-4, mean HTs were 40.3 (+/- 24.0), 64.5 (+/- 19.1), 54.8 (+/- 15.0), and 60.3 (+/- 12.0), respectively. Handling time had a positive linear relationship with age and body weight, but the relationship between HT and dosage was nonlinear. Group 1 had a shorter HT compared to the other groups combined. Time from injection to first stand-up was 105.0 (+/- 33.5) min. Zoletil was quick acting and safe for immobilization of coatis in the wild.