Arnemo, J.M., Linnell, J.D.C., Wedul, S.J., Ranheim, B., Odden, J. & Andersen, R. 1999: Use of intraperitoneal radio-transmitters in lynx Lynx lynx kittens: anaesthesia, surgery and behaviour. - Wildl. Biol. 5: 245-250.
The suitability of intraperitoneally implanted radio-transmitters as a method for studying young lynx Lynx lynx kittens was tested under field conditions. Radio-marked adult females were followed to the lair where they kept their kittens. In 1997 and 1998, nine kittens (4-5 weeks old) were located. One of two implant models (7 g and 20 g) were implanted using surgical procedures and a combination of medetomidine (0.08 mg/kg) and ketamine (5 mg/kg) for anaesthesia. No complications occurred during the operations. All kittens were accepted again by their mother and were moved to a new lair within 1 km. All survived at least three months after the operation. Six of the kittens were re-examined 4-5 months after the operation. In all of these cases the implants were floating freely in the peritoneal cavity. Based on these results it appears that intraperitoneal implanting of radio-transmitters is a very useful method for studying very young lynx kittens, and could be used for most felids of a similar, or larger, size.
Key words: anaesthesia, intraperitoneal implantation, lynx, Lynx lynx, radio-telemetry, radio-transmitters, surgery
Jon M. Arnemo, Department of Arctic Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, N-9292 Tromsø, Norway & Department of
Forestry and Wilderness Management, Hedmark College, Evenstad, N-2480 Koppang, Norway
John D.C. Linnell, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tungasletta 2, N-7485 Trondheim, Norway - e-mail: john.linnell@ninatrd.ninaniku.no
Sari J. Wedul, Elverum Animal Clinic, N-2400 Elverum, Norway
Birgit Ranheim, Department of Pharmacology, Microbiology and Food Hygiene, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, PO Box 8146 Dep., N-0033
Oslo, Norway
John Odden, Department of Forestry and Wilderness Management, Hedmark College, Evenstad, N-2480 Koppang, Norway
Reidar Andersen, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tungasletta 2, N-7485 Trondheim, Norway & Zoology Department, Norwegian University
of Science and Technology, N-7055 Dragvoll, Norway
Received 12 February 1999, accepted 14 May 1999
Associate Editor: Ralph J. Gutiérrez