Another lion dies of Sars Cov-2 at city zoo

Another lion dies of Sars Cov-2 at city zoo

10 More Big Cats Under Treatment

Oppili P & Ram Sundaram TNN

Chennai:17.06.2021 

A 12-year-old lion died of Covid-19 at Arignar Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur on Wednesday morning, authorities said. The big cat, a male named Pathbanathan, is the second lion to die due to the infection at the zoo. The first was a nine-yearold lioness named Neela which died in the evening on June 3.

Officials at the zoo said Pathbanathan tested positive for Sars Cov-2 as per the report of the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal received on June 3. Samples were collected from Pathbanathan after five lions in the zoo showed symptoms such as coughing and loss of appetite. The animal, housed in the lion safari area, was under intensive treatment since then and died around 10.15am on Wednesday, said an official release from AAZP.

At present, the zoo houses 10 more infected lions, being treated by an in-house veterinary team in coordination with an expert team from Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences (Tanuvas) University.

“Two lionesses — 19-yearold Bhuavana and 23-year-old Kavitha — which were critical last week have started to respond to treatment and are taking food properly now. All other infected lions too are under close observation to ensure they recover soon,” said an AAZP official.

Zoo authorities said they were taking all precautionary measures to protect the infected lions and to prevent further spread of the virus to other animals. The zoo had introduced thermal scanning and ultra violet irradiation of the beef that was fed to the big cats. Zoo workers were administered vaccines for the infection. Periodic sanitisation of the animal enclosures had been taken up and the workers were provided with PPE kits while entering the enclosures.

The zoo is also taking the help of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, run by Union government’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Hyderabad, to sequence the virus variant to understand zoonotic transmission better.

Besides Covid-19, one lion has been tested positive for a more contagious Canine Distemper Virus (CDV). Zoo sources said the 19-year-old lion named Ragave was kept in isolation and is healthy now. Efforts were underway to keep stray dogs and cats out of the zoo premises as they had the potential to transmit diseases to the zoo inhabitants. The zoo has been closed for visitors from April due to the Covid second wave.

An official from the city zoo said two lionesses that were critical last week have started to respond to treatment and that their appetite was returning. All infected lions are under close observation