IMMOBILIZATION OF FREE-RANGING RED FOXES (VULPES-VULPES) WITH TILETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND ZOLAZEPAM HYDROCHLORIDE

We evaluated Zoletil on free-ranging red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Spai n. Twenty-two pup and 49 adult wild-caught red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) w ere immobilized with a combination of tiletamine hydrochloride and zol azepam hydrochloride in a 1:1 proportion (Zoletil). Mean (+/-SE) Zolet il doses were 10.57 (+/-0.41) mg/kg (range = 7.58-15.39 mg/kg, n = 22) for pups and 10.51 (+/-0.33) mg/kg (range = 5.88-16.61 mg/kg, n = 45) for adults. Mean induction and first recovery times for pups were 2.3 (+/-0.2) minutes (range = 1 to 5 minutes) and 35.5 (+/-3.28) minutes (range = 18 to 78 minutes), respectively. Mean induction and first rec overy times for adults were 3.7 (+/-0.21) minutes (range = 2 to 8 minu tes) and 35.4 (+/-2.22) minutes (range = 13 to 90 minutes), respective ly. We recommend Zoletil doses of 10 mg/kg for red foxes. For wild adu lt red foxes of unknown weight, an initial dose of 60 to 70 mg Zoletil should be administered. This dose should allow about 40 minutes of ha ndling time.