Interventions to manage disease in wild animals are challenging, being characterised by sparse information on the distribution of infection and a limited ability to target infected individuals. In parts of Europe, the persistence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB caused by Mycobacterium bovis) in cattle is linked to reservoirs of infection in wild populations of European badgers (Meles meles). In this study, we describe the development of a method for the safe restraint and blood sampling of badgers in the field without recourse to anaesthesia. The approach utilises a specially designed cage to physically restrain badgers and a protocol for obtaining a blood sample from the metatarsal pad. In field trials, blood samples were successfully obtained on 30 of 33 occasions, and all samples produced a valid trap-side result using a rapid serological test. Same day examination of restrained animals detected no injuries other than the blood sampling incision site, and there was no evidence of a negative effect of restraint on subsequent recapture probability. The approach negates the need for field anaesthesia to obtain a diagnostic sample, thus eliminating the risks of associated adverse effects, reducing costs and time before release back into the wild. These advantages could expand current options for surveillance and disease control interventions in badgers by permitting more efficient trap-side sampling and testing.

管理野生动物疾病的干预措施具有挑战性，其特点是有关感染分布的信息稀少，并且针对受感染个体的能力有限。在欧洲部分地区，牛中牛结核病（由牛分枝杆菌引起的 bTB ）的持续存在与欧洲獾（Meles meles）野生种群的感染宿主有关。）。在这项研究中，我们描述了一种在不依赖麻醉的情况下安全束缚和在野外对獾进行采血的方法的发展。该方法利用专门设计的笼子来物理约束獾和从跖骨垫获取血样的协议。在现场试验中，33 次中的 30 次成功采集了血液样本，所有样本均通过快速血清学检测产生了有效的陷阱侧结果。同一天对被约束动物的检查没有发现除血液采样切口部位外的其他伤害，并且没有证据表明约束对随后的重新捕获概率有负面影响。该方法不需要现场麻醉来获取诊断样本，从而消除了相关不良反应的风险，在放回野外之前减少成本和时间。这些优势可以通过允许更有效的陷阱侧采样和测试来扩展獾监测和疾病控制干预的当前选择。