Goa's Bondla zoo steps up to keep big cats safe

Nida Sayed | TNN | Updated: Apr 9, 2020, 08:14 IST

The zoo currently has five leopards and two jungle cats

PANAJI: After reports that a tiger at New York City’s Bronx zoo tested positive for coronavirus — the first case of human-to-animal transmission of the virus — Goa’s Bondla zoo has taken measures mandated by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) to ensure its big cats are safe.
“There is no case of coronavirus in animals in India, and the situation is Goa is also under control. Besides, there are no tigers at the zoo here. We therefore don’t see any possibility for infection,” said principle chief conservator of forests (PCCF) Subhash Chandra. The zoo currently has five leopards and two jungle cats.
On Monday, India put its zoos, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves on “highest“ alert, asking authorities to watch the big cats 24x7 for any abnormal behaviour and take “immediate preventive measures to stop transmission and spread of the virus from human to animals and vice versa”.
In Goa, the zoo and national parks have been shut since March 15 as a precautionary measure against Covid-19. At the zoo, only the staffers directly involved in feeding and taking care of the animals are being asked to report for duty, the PCCF said.
“Activities of those workers who take care of the garden and cottages have been curtailed. Only those who indulge in cleaning of night shelters and essential staff to manage the animals have been called in to work,” a zoo official said.
In addition, the zoo’s uniformed staff, range forest officer and in-house veterinary doctor are also on duty, sources said. “The contractors hired to provide animal feed are also providing us with food.”
The zoo has restricted the movement of its staff to contain the virus. An official said that all staffers working at the zoo at the moment are residents of the area.