No need to test tiger cub for Covid: Forest department

The state forest department has decided not to send swab samples of a three-month-old tiger cub from Chandrapur to one of the approved animal testing centres for

The state forest department has decided not to send swab samples of a three-month-old tiger cub from Chandrapur to one of the approved animal testing centres for Covid-19 in Bhopal. The cub was the first wild animal in Maharashtra suspected of being infected with Covid-19. However, after forest officials said the cub is not showing any symptoms of the infection, the chief wildlife warden decided against testing the cub’s samples.

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Initially, the department had planned to send the cub’s samples to National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, in Bhopal. “Many days have passed since the rescue, and the animal currently shows no symptoms of ill health. Also logistical issues such as interstate transport will be a tedious task. We will monitor the cub’s health and in case there are issues, a follow-up decision will be taken,” said Nitin Kakodkar, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife).

The department hopes to reunite the cub with her mother. Scat samples were collected of a tigress less than two kilometres from the spot where the cub was rescued on April 24. “The scat and swab samples of the tigress and the cub have been sent to an institute in Hyderabad for DNA analysis. If the results are positive, the process to reunite them will commence,” said a forest official.

Independent experts concurred with the forest department’s decision. “There is no reason for us to worry or panic about this cub’s safety. Since the animal is asymptomatic, there is no point testing samples similar to the protocol for humans,” said Anish Andheria, president, Wildlife Conservation Trust. “Different types of coronaviruses are carried by animals and this particular strain affecting humans can also be carried by cats. While some tigers in Bronx Zoo in New York contracted Covid-19, there is no case across the world where any big cat has died.”