Pohlin FBuss PHooijberg EHMeyer LCR2025-09-032025-09-032020-07-31Pohlin F, Buss P, Hooijberg EH, Meyer LCR. (2020). Midazolam alters acid-base status less than azaperone during the capture and transport of southern white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum simum). Animals. 10. 8. (pp. 1-13).https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/73466Acidemia represents a major life-threatening factor during rhinoceros capture. The acid-base status during rhinoceros transport is unknown. The purpose of this study was to describe changes in acid-base status during rhinoceros capture and transport and compare these changes between rhinoceroses sedated with azaperone or midazolam. Twenty-three wild white rhinoceros bulls were road-transported 280 km for reasons unrelated to this study. Rhinoceroses were captured with etorphine-azaperone (Group A) or etorphine-midazolam (Group M). During transport, azaperone (Group A) or midazolam (Group M) was re-administered every 2 h and venous blood collected. Changes in blood pH and associated variables were compared over time and between groups using a general linear mixed model. Rhinoceroses of both groups experienced a respiratory and metabolic acidosis during capture (pH 7.109 ± 0.099 and 7.196 ± 0.111 for Group A and Group M, respectively) that was quickly compensated for by the start of transport (pH 7.441 ± 0.035 and 7.430 ± 0.057) and remained stable throughout the journey. Rhinoceroses from Group M showed a smaller decrease in pH and associated variables at capture than rhinoceroses from Group A (p = 0.012). The use of midazolam instead of azaperone could therefore improve the success of rhinoceros capture and thus, contribute to the outcome of important conservation translocations.(c) The author/shttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/acidosisazaperonemidazolamrhinocerostranslocationHenderson-HasselbalchStewart’s approachwildlifeJournal article10.3390/ani100813232076-2615CC BYjournal-article1-131323