Lioness dies of suspected Covid-19, eight lions infected in Tamil Nadu zoo

Covid-19 has hit the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur on the outskirts of Chennai. A 9-year-old lioness has died of Covid-19, while eight Asiatic lions lodged inside the zoo have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Though the first test conducted on them returned positive for SARS Cov-2, fresh samples have been sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad in Telangana, the zoo administration said.

The move is to ascertain whether or not the reported findings are “in the nature of false positives” or the animal could have “died of comorbidities”, the zoo administration said in a statement here.

However, a statement from the government said the lioness succumbed to the virus. It said 61 per cent of the large cat animal handlers in the zoo were vaccinated by June 3, adding that a nationwide consultation process has begun involving domain experts and scientists.

Sources said the condition of three of the eight lions is critical, though they are being treated. It is not known immediately how the animals contracted the virus.

Read more: 8 Asiatic lions in Hyderabad zoo contract Covid-19; CCMB experts say virus detection in animals an 'emerging requirement'

The lioness, named Neela which was housed in the safari area of the zoo, died at around 6.15 pm on June 3. “The said lioness had been asymptotic and showed some nasal discharge only the day before (2.6.2021) and had been symptomatically treated immediately,” the zoo said in a statement.

Officials said the lions which have tested positive are under close observation and on prescribed treatment regimen by the in-house veterinary team in close coordination with an expert team from Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS).

“All animal keepers and helpers for these animal houses are vaccinated against Covid-19. A separate set of animal keepers are engaged for each group of lions. PPE Kits have been made mandatory for the animal keepers, veterinary doctors and field staff visiting the area,” the statement said.

Officials said five lions were reported to show anorexia (loss of appetite) and occasional coughing on May 26, and based on medical advice, blood samples were sent to TANUVAS and Nasal swab, Rectal swab and faecal samples of 11 lions were sent to the National Institute of High-Security Diseases (NIHSAD) Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.