Further refinement of helicopter capture for Australian chital deer (Axis axis)

Abstract

This study improves a technique to capture wild chital deer (Axis axis) in northern Australia by darting from a helicopter. We quantified several metrics, including the frequency of adverse animal welfare events. Mortality at the time of capture was 15%, but no animals died post-release, and the frequencies of hyperthermia and hypoxaemia were lower than in previous operations. This study can be used as a template for iterative refinement of high-risk capture methodologies.