First in India; eight Asiatic lions test positive
Coronavirus second wave ringing danger bells in Telangana and showing its impact on many people. Now, it’s showing its impact on animals in the zoo. According to the reports, the eight Asiatic lions exhibiting Coronavirus symptoms in Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park. On April 29, the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) told NZB officials orally that the lions tested positive.
Dr. Shirish Upadhye, director of Wildlife Research & Training Centre (WRTC), said that after eight tigers and lions tested positive for coronavirus in Bronx Zoo, no other such reports have emerged. The virus was, however, found in dogs and cats in Hong Kong, he said.
NZP officials decided to test the lions for coronavirus after wildlife veterinarians working in the park noticed coronavirus-like symptoms including loss of appetite, nasal discharge, and coughing among the lions. Four males and four females each tested positive out of the 12 lions in the 40-acre safari area.
Currently, NZP, one of the biggest zoos in Asia, is closed for visitors as a precautionary measure. More than two dozen staffers at the zoo were tested positive for the virus.
Source: The Hindu/Times of India
