The Australian native mammalian fauna is diverse in terms of taxonomy, anatomy, physiology and ecology.

As a consequence, the methods used for their capture, restraint and anaesthesia are equally diverse. Careful planning, appropriate facilities, equipment and drugs are crucial to achieving objectives and ensuring optimal animal welfare and human safety outcomes.

Safer and more effective chemical restraint options and remote drug delivery systems have reduced the need for physical restraint in many cases. This has resulted in better welfare outcomes for animals, safety for personnel and efficiency in terms of time and achieving objectives and diagnostic outcomes. However, many simple procedures can still be accomplished quickly and safely by experienced personnel using appropriate physical restraint methods and equipment.

Decisions on the method of capture, restraint, drugs and drug delivery must be based on sound and robust principles, experience, knowledge and published litera­ture. The use of remote drug delivery systems requires a level of skill and with some equipment and in some jurisdictions or counties, a licence (Cracknell 2013).

The capture of free-ranging Australian native mammals for the purpose of field research, population management or veterinary intervention requires exper­tise and appropriate equipment. However, some funda­mental precautionary principles apply in most cases (Box 9.1) (NHMRC 2014).

Most of the principles of veterinary anaesthesia for domestic animals are applicable to Australian native mammals. For those inexperienced with wildlife, appli­cation of first principles will provide a good outcome in most cases. The clinical pharmacology of chemical restraint drugs, drug delivery systems and principles of

Box 9.1. Precautionary principles for the capture of free-ranging Australian mammals for the purpose of field research, population management or veterinary intervention

• Use traps and capture methods approved or recommended for the species

• Avoid trapping in extremes of temperature and weather

• Provide protection from rain, wind, sun and predators

• A wide range of baits can be used and should be appropriate for the species

• Check traps regularly

• The number of traps set should be limited to ensure that all can be checked and cleared in an appropriate timeframe

• Trap and release animals at a time of day or night appropriate for the species. Release of nocturnal species during the day increases vulnerability to predation by diurnal predators

• Release animals at the point of capture

• Avoid trapping during periods when species may be vulnerable because of breeding, presence of young (PY, back young or in burrows or nests) or lactation

• Permanent traps should be locked when not in use to avoid tampering and setting by unauthorised people

• Temporary marking allows rapid identification and release of animals habituated to traps when recaptured to avoid unnecessary handling (Fig.

• Seek expert advice from field biologists

• Minimise biosecurity risk in terms of anthropozoonoses, spread of pathogens within and between populations and cross­contamination of samples from different animals (Hillman et al. 2016)

wildlife chemical restraint are discussed in detail in West et al. (2014).

In this chapter the term ‘chemical restraint’ will be used to encompass sedation, tranquillisation and anaes­thesia. Chemical restraint drugs and doses are included in Appendix 3. This chapter should be read alongside Vogelnest and Woods (2008) and other chapters in this volume, which provide additional detail for some taxa.

Fig. 9.1. Temporary marking on the ear of a brush-tailed rock­wallaby (Petrogalepenicillata) using a white-out correction pen to facilitate rapid individual identification if recaptured in a trap.

1.