Capture and transportation of Elasmobranchs, with emphasis on the Grey Nurse Shark (Carcharias taurus)

Abstract

Physiological changes manifest during the capture and transportation of elasmobranchs are discussed. Reference is made to the general adaptation syndrome and to mechanisms of change in concentrations of blood glucose, blood acid and serum electrolyte. Methods of alleviating these profound changes are suggested, with emphasis on the capture and transportation of the grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus). The hoop method is shown to be a convenient technique for capturing wild grey nurse sharks, and a combination of ketamine hydrochloride and xylazine hydrochloride, with antagonism by yohimbine hydrochloride, is found to provide an acceptable regime of transportation anaesthesia. Intravenous administration of sodium bicarbonate and glucose as well as oxygenation of water in the life-support system are shown to be valuable methods of alleviating stress-induced blood acidosis.