IMMOBILIZATION OF HEALTHY MALE GIANT PANDAS (AILUROPODA-MELANOLEUCA) AT THE WOLONG-NATURE-RESERVE

Immobilization records (n = 33) for captive male giant panads (Ailurop oda melanoleuca) at the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda were examined retrospectively. Four different drug combin ations (mean dose +/- SD) were used, including ketamine alone (4.5 +/- 1.3 mg/kg), ketamine(7.1 +/- 2.1 mg/kg) with diazepam (0.2 mg/kg), ke tamine (4.8 +/- 1.0 mg/kg) with xylazine (0.43 mg/kg), and tiletamine/ zolazepam (5.8 +/- 1.3 mg/kg). Use of diazepam with ketamine resulted in an increased dose of ketamine used for immobilization, and tiletami ne/zolazepam usage resulted in higher heart rates compared to either k etamine alone (90 +/- 26 beats/min) or ketamine with xylazine (82 +/- 26 beats/min).