A TRAPPING AND IMMOBILIZATION TECHNIQUE FOR SMALL MACROPODS

A technique for trapping and immobilising small macropods is described and tested on forest-dwelling Tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii Desm arest). The trapping method uses wire fencing and a monofilament nylon drop-net. The animals were immobilised with ketamine hydrochloride an d xylazine. Tammar wallabies are reputedly hard to catch, but our tech nique produced higher trapping rates, lower trap-avoidance rates and l ower death rates than other methods. In all, 46 Tammars were captured in 29 trap-nights. No deaths occurred during, or in the four weeks fol lowing, trapping.