Field Anaesthesia for Platypuses: a proven method and the case for non-veterinarian accreditation pathways

This communication details the implementation of field-based anaesthesia for platypuses, applied by non-veterinarians to over 500 individuals across 9 years, with a focus on enhancing animal welfare while enabling the collection of critical scientific data. By utilising portable anaesthetic machines and tailored protocols, safe handling and minimising stress during procedures such as tagging, sample collection, and minor surgeries are ensured. Given the impracticality and high costs of having veterinarians in the field along with researchers, we advocate for accreditation pathways to empower ecologists to independently perform these important procedures, thereby improving the efficiency and sustainability of wildlife research.