Zoos in India put on alert after tiger tests Covid-19 positive in New York

All zoos in India have been asked to remain on high alert and monitor animals for any abnormal behaviour, after a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York tested positive

All zoos in India have been asked to remain on high alert and monitor animals for any abnormal behaviour, after a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

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Zoos have also been asked to send samples of suspect animals to animal health institutes to initiate Covid-19 testing. The Central Zoo Authority of India (CZAI), the apex body for all zoos in India, issued an advisory in this regard on Monday.

It came after a four-year-old female Malayan tiger named Nadia tested positive for the coronavirus at the Bronx Zoo, in what is believed to be the first known infection in an animal in the US or a tiger anywhere.

Nadia — and six other tigers and lions that have also fallen ill — are believed to have been infected by a zoo employee who wasn’t yet showing symptoms. The first animal started showing symptoms March 27, and all are doing well and expected to recover.

There are around 160 recognised zoos in India with more than 56,800 captive animals. All zoos are presently closed because of the 21-day, nationwide lockdown that began on Match 25.

“Zoos in the country, are therefore, advised to remain on highest alertness, watch animals on 24x7 basis, using CCTV for any abnormal behaviour and symptoms,” the advisory issued by CZAI said.

It asked zookeepers and handlers not to go close to the animals without safety gear, preferably PPE (personal protective equipment), and have least contact while feeding them. Zoo officials have also been directed to isolate and quarantine sick animals.

According to the CZAI directive, carnivores, especially cat, ferret and primates, are to be carefully monitored and fortnightly samples of suspect cases are to be sent to three designated animal health institutes for Covid-19 testing while following all safety measures.

All zoo personnel will have to strictly adhere to safety and disinfection protocol issued by the government, time to time, the guideline said. “Further zoos are advised to coordinate with designated nodal agencies of the government responsible for public health response and permit screening, testing and surveillance and diagnostic samples as and when required by the nodal agency,” it said.

The Bronx Zoo finding raises new questions about transmission of the virus in animals. The coronavirus outbreaks around the world are driven by person-to-person transmission, experts say. However, concerns have been raised over whether the infection caused by the Sars-CoV-2 virus can be transmitted between animals and humans; there are reports of a pet cat in Belgium and two dogs in Hong Kong getting infected.

But Hong Kong agriculture authorities concluded that pet dogs and cats couldn’t pass the virus to human beings but could test positive if exposed by their owners.

Some researchers have been trying to understand the susceptibility of different animal species to the virus, and to determine how it spreads among animals, according to the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health.

(with agency inputs)