THE SEA OTTER IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN 313 



Figure 121. — A mother otter was placed in the pool without receiving a 

 tranquilizer. Frantically she searched to escape while swimming- about the 

 pool, holding her pup in her mouth, the pup's head under water. Mother 

 and pup were netted and the mother was given a small dose of Sparine 

 (0.5 mg. per lb. of body weight). (KWK 57-29-31) 



degree to which the use of Sparine on animals carried aboard an 

 aircraft contributed to their deaths in transit is unknown (see 

 Causes of Death in Captivity). 



Propiopromazine hydrochloride "Tranvef* (Diamond) 



This tranquilizer was used successfully by biologists of the 

 Alaska Department of Game. Injections were given to captives 

 immediately after capture (about 0.05 to 0.1 mg. per kg. or 0.1 to 

 0.2 mg. per lb. of estimated body weight). Before placing otters 

 aboard aircraft during transplanting operations, a second dose 

 of the drug, twice the amount of the first, was injected. J. Vania 

 told me that the animals became satisfactorily relaxed and showed 



