Animal Capture

Why should an animal be captured?

Well there are a variety of management reasons for animal-capture, handling and restraint. These may include:

• Veterinary procedures

• Animal husbandry procedures

• Reproductive management

• Release

• Relocation or translocation

• Field Research

• Data collection

Having experience in the handling & capture of individual taxonomic groups is essential and is often an Occupational Health & Safety requirement.

Inexperienced staff should never attempt to handle an animal, with which they are not familiar, without proper supervision and training. Animals on Film have compiled three very useful training packages for new staff working with Animals.

Learn more about these essential training resources here:

Working with snakes

Working with Raptors

Zoonotic diseases - precautions for prevention

Animal-capture, handling and restraint programs on other species are currently in production - Learn more:

Future Programs

There is an enormous range of commercially manufactured animal-capture equipment available on the market including a huge variety of nets, hooks, bags, snares, traps etc. In addition to this most animal facilities have a range of home made, and improvised, equipment that they have developed for specific tasks. Having a good working knowledge of specific capture and restraint equipment, as well as knowing what equipment to select for a specific purpose, and how to use it correctly, will not only minimise the risks of stress & injury to the animal but will also reduce the risk of injuries to staff.

When working with animals, whether in the capture stage or subsequent handling stages, apart from the risk of physical injury, there is also a risk of the transmission of zoonotic diseases from the animal to the handler.

All personnel involved in Animal capture and handling should have a good understanding of the risks of zoonotic diseases and the methods of transmission, and be aware of the basic safety precautions that should be taken for their prevention. This knowledge is essential to the health & wellbeing of all animal handlers and wildlife professionals.

Animals on Film have produced an indispensable training program for all personnel that work with animals and/or their by-products.

You can learn more about this program here: Essential information about Zoonoses