Tapir Talk Archives

6 June 1997

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    ___  __                   Digest   6 June 1997 - Vol. 1, No. 25
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The Tapir Preservation Fund

The Tapir Gallery: http://www.tapirback.com/tapirgal/
Tapir Talk Archives and Info: http://www.tapirback.com/tapirgal/tt.htm
E-mail: tapir@tapirback.com
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TAPIR TALK   -  6 June 1997   -   Vol. 1, No. 25

Contents of this issue
    1. Anesthetic protocol / tranquilizing with darts
    2. Pitfall traps
    3. Weight of T. terrestris
    4. Use of Detomidine and Yoimbine with tapirs
   


Return-Path: 
X-Sender: melcosta@bhnet.com.br
Date: Thu, 05 Jun 1997 21:29:33 -0300
To: Tapir 
From: Elvira Costa 
Subject: Tapir Talk

At 14:39 04/06/97 -0600, you wrote:
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>    ___  __                   Digest   4 June 1997 - Vol. 1, No. 23
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>Teodoro Sampaio, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, 03th june 1997
>
>My name is Patricia Medici, I'm a Brazilian Researcher and
>I'm conducting a Tapir Project in the Atlantic Rainforest of
>Sao Paulo State. I'm just in the very begining of the field
>work. Since 20 days ago, we are trying to capture the 3
>animals that we need (we'll put radio collars), but we still
>didn't have success. I hope that I'll be able to do that 
>during the next few days,and then I'll start collecting the
>data about diet, dispersion of seeds, home range (possible 
>overlaps) and social interactions.
>
>A friend of mine, who is doing his Masters in Florida 
>University, sent me a copy of an E-Mail message from you
>where you say something about a Mail group to exchange
>informations about Tapirs. I really would like to 
>participate. Can you send me more informations?
>I'm waiting for your answer...
>Informations exchange is always something that we need...
>Thanks for now...
>Best wishes from Brazil...
>Patricia Medici
>
>My E-Mail adress is:
>lecordei@carpa.ciagri.usp.br
>
>2nd letter:
>
>Sao Paulo State, Brazil, 04th june 1997
>Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo
>(Devil's Hill State Park)
>
>I'm still trying to capture the Tapirs. It's rainning
>a lot here, so, the capture is even more difficult. We are 
>working every night, waiting for the animals in bait stations.
>High plataforms up in the trees. We'll shoot the animals (with
>anaesthetic darts) from distance, using a riffle. We also have
>two monstruous(!) iron box traps (2,20 X 1,20 X 1,10) and a 
>fence trap in different bait stations. Well...we are trying
>everything!!! I am in contact with a Richard Bodmer's
>student and he told me that a researcher in Peru captured
>5 Tapirs during a period of 10 days, using "holes" on the
>ground. They are big holes (2,20 X 1,50 X 1,60deep) and 
>the animals just fall into the holes without problems. They
>said that the animals didn't hurt themselfs, but I'm not sure
>if it's only luck or if it's really safe. 
>
>What do people in the group think about this methodology?
>I have to decide as soon as possible. I don't want to waste
>time!!!!!
>


Hello, Patricia!
I would like to talk about something.
I've never worked with tapir in fild, but I'm working  in zoo for 10 years.
I think the collar must to be so hard 'cause the tapirs use to scratch their
neck
in everything ( trees, etc ) and can brack it.
About the use of anestesic dart, the tapirs use to run to the water 
when shooted ( in zoos this always ocurrs ) and is almost impossible
to remoove it from the water when they became anestesied . Be carefull
if the shooter is far from water.

I'm not a "specialis", I'm a general zoo vet, but if I can help you...
"esteja a vontade"
*******************************************************
Maria Elvira Loyola Teixeira da Costa
	Médica Veterinária
					
Fundação Zoobotânica de Belo Horizonte	Fone: 277-7985
   Belo Horizonte - MG - Brasil		Fax: 277-7974

	melcosta@bhnet.com.br
*******************************************************

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Return-Path: 
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 10:17:22 -0300 (GRNLNDST)
From: Tarcisio da Silva Santos Junior 
To: tapir@tapirback.com
Subject: Capture of Lowland Tapir (Tapir Talk)


	Hi everyone. Lowland Tapir can be captured using holes. In my 
master science project I have captured two in the same hole in an
interval of 15 days. Both of them did not hurt. The hole dimensions
are: 2,10 meters of L; 1,50 meters of W and 1,60 D. The anastetic was
injected when the animal was inside the hole. The problem with this
method is that about 8 persons are need to left the animal. 

========================================

Return-Path: 
Date: Fri, 6 Jun 1997 14:40:36 -0300 (BSC)
From: "Liviam E. Cordeiro" 
To: tapir@TAPIRBACK.COM
Subject: Tapir Talk

Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo, 05th June 1997

Hi Everybody!
Here is Patricia from Brazil.

1. Answer to Roberto F. Aguilar (Audubon Park Zoo)
Hi Roberto,
I really don't mind about so many questions. Keep doing that. If 
I'll be able to answer the questions, I'll do that. And if I'll 
not be able to answer the question, I'll look for someone who can 
do that!
Well, I work for a Brazilian NGO called IPE - Instituto de Pesquisas
Ecologicas (Ecological Research Institute). One of our International
Partners is WPTI-USA (World Preservation Trust International - USA). 
They have a Veterinarian who works for them, helping the projects 
conducted by the Partners Institutions, like IPE. His name is 
Dr. Doug Pernikoff and he lives in Saint Louis. He came to my field 
site to help me with the capture during 15 days. During those days 
he oriented me about drugs, anaesthetic guns, delivery systems, cares 
with the animals under the drugs effects and so on. He set up the 
protocol that I'm using with the Tapirs. Well, I still didn't use it, 
because I'm still trying to capture the animals!!! The drug that we 
are using is a quite new drug in terms of Tapirs. It's name is 
Detomidine. It's an alfa 2 adrenergic agonist and it's antagonist 
is the drug called Yoimbine. We have tested this drugs on Tapirs in 
captivity and they worked beautifully. They are very safe, for
the animals and also for us. I also talked to a number of well-known 
brazilian veterinarians (almost all of them Zoo Vets) and most of them
told me to use Detomidine & Yoimbine. They are used with those drugs
and have never had problems with them. 
My dosages are get estimating a Tapir weight of about 200 to 250 kg 
(althought some of them are 300kg). 
In the riffle (shoots from distance), I'm using a dosage for 250 kg 
because I don't want the animal running during a long time inside the 
forest. I want  the animal knocked down as fast as possible. I have 
to find the animal anyway! But, in the case of an animal inside the 
box trap or inside the pitfall trap, I'll use a dosage for the 
estimated weight in the moment. I don't know if I answered your 
questions. If not, please, let me know!

2. Answer to Dan Brooks (Tapir Action Plan Coordinator/CoEditor)
Hi Dan,
Thank you for your informations. It would be really difficult to use
Vaqueros and dogs inside the Rainforest. But, I've been trying everything
to capture the Tapirs...who knows?!?!?
I'd like to know something about the Tapir Action Plan. Can you tell
me that?

3. Answer to Sheryl Todd
Hi Sheryl, how are you?
yesterday you asked a question about the Tapirus terrestris weight.
Well, the females are generally bigger than the males. The female can be
between 180 and 300kg (don't be surprised!!!) and the male between 160 and
260kg. Last month, we had a very good chance to shoot an animal, but
my field assistent made some noise and the animal ran alarmed. That animal
was a monster. The Vet, said that it was about 280-300kg for sure!!! 

Tapir Hugs for Everybody!!!

Patricia Medici
Tapir Project Field Coodinator
Ecological Research Institute
Field Station Adress: Passeio Tipuana, 03, Vila Minas Gerais
Teodoro Sampaio, Sao Paulo, BRAZIL   CEP: 19280-000
Phone:(018) 282-1944
E-Mail: lecordei@carpa.ciagri.usp.br


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Sheryl Todd  ~  The Tapir Gallery  ~  Tapir Preservation Fund    
http://www.tapirback.com/tapirgal/        tapir@tapirback.com 
Tapir Talk info & archives: http://www.tapirback.com/tapirgal/tt.htm
Co-Editor, IUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group Newsletter
P.O. Box 1432, Palisade, CO 81526 USA    Fax (970) 464-0377
"Promoting the Welfare of Tapirs Everywhere"
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