Two tigers test positive for COVID at children’s zoo in Indiana, officials say
Two tigers at the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo in Indiana have tested positive for COVID-19, zoo officials said Saturday.
On Feb. 1, the zoo’s animal care staff noticed that one of the Sumatran tigers had mild symptoms consistent with the virus, officials said in a news release.
They collected fecal samples from two tigers — Bugara, a male, and Indah, a female — that were tested in veterinary laboratories. The zoo was notified Friday evening that the tigers had tested positive.
Officials said Bugara has been experiencing a dry cough but that Indah hasn’t shown symptoms.
“Both tigers are being watched for any additional clinical signs and remain together in their enclosure,” Kami Fox, staff veterinarian at the zoo, said in the release.
Zoo officials said they don’t know how the tigers were infected. They’re working with the Allen County Department of Health and the State Board of Animal Health to determine how they may have caught the virus.
In light of Bugara and Indah’s diagnoses, the zoo is limiting access to the tiger enclosure and collecting fecal samples from the two animals daily. Staff who visit the enclosure are required to wear extra PPE, including a face shield, N95 mask and shoe coverings.
No other animals have been tested.
“The safety of the Zoo animals and our team members are our first priority right now,” zoo director Rick Schuiteman said in the release. “We will continue to tirelessly protect our team and the animals that call this zoo home.”
Since the onset of the pandemic, more than 100 animals in the U.S. have contracted COVID-19, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These include house pets — dogs and cats are among the most frequently infected — as well as larger animals.
Lions, tigers, snow leopards and gorillas have been reported as contracting the virus, according to data from the USDA.
Last year, news broke that several tigers at the Bronx Zoo had contracted the virus from a staff member who had been caring for them.
These tigers recovered, but it was announced in January that a tiger in a Swedish zoo had to be euthanized following complications from COVID-19, Forbes reported. The tiger was sick for two days during which it lost its appetite before presenting with respiratory distress and neurological symptoms, according to the outlet.
The virus also proved fatal for several mink in Utah that were found dead on two farms last year, McClatchy News reported. They tested positive for the virus posthumously.
It’s believed that humans can pass COVID-19 to animals, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there’s limited information on whether animals can spread the virus to humans, though the risk is considered to be low.
This story was originally published February 8, 2021 at 10:41 AM with the headline "Two tigers test positive for COVID at children’s zoo in Indiana, officials say."