Wildlife Search and Rescue COMPANIONWEBSITE Thisbookhasacompanionwebsite: www.wiley.com/go/dmytryk/wildlifeemergency withFiguresandTablesfromthebookfordownloading Wildlife Search and Rescue A Guide for First Responders Rebecca Dmytryk A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Publication Thiseditionfirstpublished2012©2012byJohnWiley&Sons,Ltd Wiley-BlackwellisanimprintofJohnWiley&Sons,formedbythemergerofWiley’sglobalScientific, TechnicalandMedicalbusinesswithBlackwellPublishing. Registeredoffice:JohnWiley&Sons,Ltd,TheAtrium,SouthernGate,Chichester,WestSussex,PO19 8SQ,UK Editorialoffices:9600GarsingtonRoad,Oxford,OX42DQ,UK TheAtrium,SouthernGate,Chichester,WestSussex,PO198SQ,UK 111RiverStreet,Hoboken,NJ07030-5774,USA Fordetailsofourglobaleditorialoffices,forcustomerservicesandforinformationabouthowto applyforpermissiontoreusethecopyrightmaterialinthisbookpleaseseeourwebsiteat www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell. Therightsoftheauthortobeidentifiedastheauthorofthisworkhasbeenassertedinaccordance withtheUKCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988. Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,or transmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingor otherwise,exceptaspermittedbytheUKCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988,withouttheprior permissionofthepublisher. Designationsusedbycompaniestodistinguishtheirproductsareoftenclaimedastrademarks.All brandnamesandproductnamesusedinthisbookaretradenames,servicemarks,trademarksor registeredtrademarksoftheirrespectiveowners.Thepublisherisnotassociatedwithanyproductor vendormentionedinthisbook.Thispublicationisdesignedtoprovideaccurateandauthoritative informationinregardtothesubjectmattercovered.Itissoldontheunderstandingthatthepublisher isnotengagedinrenderingprofessionalservices.Ifprofessionaladviceorotherexpertassistanceis required,theservicesofacompetentprofessionalshouldbesought. AspecialthankyoutoRebeccaDuerr,DVM,forhelpfulcommentsonthewildlifefirstaidsectionof thebook. Thestarimageonthecoverisaregisteredservicemark(Registrationnumber:3757480). LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Dmytryk,Rebecca. Wildlifesearchandrescue:aguideforfirstresponders/byRebeccaDmytryk. p.cm. Includesindex. ISBN978-0-470-65510-8(cloth)–ISBN978-0-470-65511-5(paper) 1. Wildliferescue–UnitedStates–Handbooks,manuals,etc.2. Firstresponders– UnitedStates–Handbooks,manuals,etc.I.Title. QL83.2.D582012 333.95(cid:2)417–dc23 2011030370 AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary. Setin10/13ptRotisSemiSansbyLaserwordsPrivateLimited,Chennai,India. First 2012 This book is dedicated to wild creatures and their wild lands. Aho Mitakuye Oyasin (to all my relations) Thisbookisintendedsolelyasaguidetoappropriateproceduresforresponseto emergenciesinvolvingwildanimalsbasedonthemostcurrentrecommendations of responsible sources, yet, because of the uniqueness of emergencies, certain situations may require additional safety measures other than those described herein. Therefore, readers are cautioned to use their best judgment and adopt all safety precautions indicated by their activities. Additionally, this book is not meanttobeusedtoadviseanyoneastotheirlegalauthoritytocapture,possess, and treat wildlife. By following guidance contained herein the reader willingly assumesallrisksinconnectionwithsuchactivities. Contents Foreword JayHolcomb xiii Preface xvii 1 Overviewofwildliferescue 1 2 Characterizingwildlifesearchandrescue 3 3 LawsandregulationsgoverningwildliferescueintheUSA 7 4 Codeofpractice 10 5 Thecomponentsofwildlifesearchandrescue 11 Humansafety 11 Environmentalhazards 11 Humanfactorhazards 12 Equipmenthazards 13 Healthrisks 13 Zoonoticdiseases 15 Bacterialinfections 15 Fungalinfections 18 Viruses 19 Parasites 19 Personalprotectiveequipment 22 Protectionfromhazardousmaterials 24 Basicsafetyandpreparednessguidelines 26 Operationalriskmanagement 27 Outfitting 32 Thewelfareoftheanimal 34 Understandingstress 35 Minimizingstressduringrescueoperations 38 Potentialforsuccess 40 Themindsetofthehunterandthehunted 42 Theimportanceofnaturalhistory 42 Thefundamentalsofthesearch 43 Thefundamentalsofthecapture 45 viii Contents 6 Anatomyofaresponseteam 52 7 Overviewofwildlifecaptureequipment 55 Thetowel 55 Herdingboards 55 Netsandnetting 57 Thehoopnet 57 Theopen-endedhoopnet 58 Thethrownet 60 Landseine 60 Mechanicalnets 60 Activelandseine 60 ThebownetandQ-net 61 Thewhooshnet 62 Driving,funnel,andwalk-intraps 63 Thedho-gaza 66 Droptraps 66 Cagetraps 68 Projectile-powerednets 68 Lures 69 Catchpole 70 8 Capture,handling,andconfinementofwildbirds 71 Techniquesforcapturingwildbirds 71 Enticingwildbirdsusinglures 71 TheBartostrap 76 Snare-typetraps 76 Bal-chatri 76 Thephaitrap 78 Noosecarpets 79 Thesinglesnare 79 Legsnarepole 84 Swanhook 85 Pittraps 85 Mistnets 86 Onthewater 86 Floatinggillnets 88 Floatingbarriersandsubmersiblepens 89 Spotlighting 90 Contents ix Specialcircumstancesandparticularmethods 92 Hummingbirds 92 Loons(Gaviiformes) 93 Grebes(Podicipediformes) 94 Railsandcoots(Rallidae) 94 Brownpelican(Pelecanusoccidentalis) 95 Cormorants(Phalacrocoracidae) 97 Waders 97 Alcids 98 Birdstrappedinstructures 98 Hummingbirdsinskylights 99 Windowstrikes 100 Ducklingsinapool 100 Birdsentangledinfishingtackle 104 Rodenticidepoisoning 105 Shotthroughwithaprojectile 105 Gluetraps 109 Avianbotulism 110 Leadpoisoning 111 Domoicacidpoisoning(DAP) 111 ‘‘Seaslime’’ 113 Oilandpetroleumproducts 113 Handlingandrestraintofwildbirds 117 Processingfromnetsandhousing 124 Short-termandtemporaryhousingforwildbirds 124 9 Capture,handling,andconfinementoflandmammals 130 Techniquesforcapturingwildmammals 130 Chemicalimmobilization 131 Specialcircumstancesandparticularmethods 131 Smallrodents 131 Largerodents,porcupines,beaver 132 Lagomorphs,rabbitsandhares 132 Xenarthrans,anteaters,armadillos 132 Skunks 133 Canids 133 Deer 133 Physicalrestraintoflandmammals 134 Bats 134 x Contents Smallrodents 135 Talpids,molesandrelatives 136 Squirrels 137 Opossums 137 Porcupines 137 Lagomorphs,rabbitsandhares 138 Smallandmedium-sizedcarnvores 138 Mustelids,badger,otter,weasels 139 Skunks 139 Coyotesandfoxes 139 Felids 140 Processingmammalsfromnetsandcages 140 Temporaryconfinementoflandmammals 142 10 Captureandhandlingofreptilesandamphibians 145 11 Marinemammalrescue 146 Rescuingsealsandsealions 146 Youngsealsandsealions 147 Hoopnets 149 Modifiedopen-endedhoopnet 149 Wraps,slings,andstretchers 151 Thetowelwrap 151 Flatwebbingcargonet 152 Thefloatingnet 153 Physicalrestraintofsealsandsealions 153 Confinementandtransportofpinnipeds 153 Cetaceans 156 12 Basicwildlifefirstaidandstabilization 158 Performingacursoryphysicalexamination 159 Bleeding 161 Dehydration 161 Fluidtherapy 162 Oralfluidadministration(mammals) 164 Oralfluidadministration(birds) 165 Subcutaneousinjections 168 Treatinghypothermia 170 TreatingHyperthermia 171 Basicwoundcare 172