TELAZOL AND ISOFLURANE FIELD ANESTHESIA IN FREE-RANGING STELLER SEA LIONS (EUMETOPIAS-JUBATUS)

Free-ranging Steller's sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in various parts of Alaska were stalked and darted with telazol. The sea lions were th en intubated and maintained with isoflurane anesthesia for 69-162 min (mean, 113 min; SD = 26 min) using large-animal anesthesia equipment a nd monitoring techniques. Forty-six adult female sea lions were succes sfully captured, studied physiologically, tested for disease states, a nd released unharmed. The animals returned to normal activity within 2 hr. Failure of darts resulted in 22 escaped captures. Five mortalitie s occurred: two sea lions drowned in pools of water on the haulouts; t wo died of telazol anesthesia complications; and one died early in inh alation anesthesia. Choice of animal, stalking, and darting methods we re important factors in avoiding problems with capturing these animals . Isoflurane can be delivered safely for over 2 hr of spontaneous vent ilation and anesthesia in this species.