States »SoutPosted at: Jun 16 2021 4:16PM Lion dies of SARS Cov-2 at Vandalur Zoo, 2nd death in two weeks
Chennai, June 16 (UNI) An Asiatic lion died of SARS Cov-2 infection
at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP), popularly called as
Vandalur Zoo here, today.
Sources said the deceased lion was one of the nine lions which had
tested positive for the virus about 10 days back.
The condition of two the nine lions were said to be critical following
which one of them died today.
An official release from AAZP said the 12-year-old male lion named
Pathbanathan and housed in Lion Safari area of AAZP, passed away
today at 1015 hrs.
The samples of the deceased lion had tested positive for SARS-Cov-2
as per the report of the National Institute of High Security Animal
Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, communicated on June three.
The lion was under intensive treatment since then.
This is the second death reported at AAZP due to the COVID infection
after a nine-year-old lioness Neela died on June three evening.
An official release from the AAZP on June four said on May 26, five
Asiatic lions housed in Animal House-1 of the Safari Park Area of
the Zoo were reported to show anorexia (loss of appetite) and
occasional coughing.
The in-house veterinary team of this zoo took immediate action
to investigate and treat the animals as per protocol, the release
said.
Blood samples were sent to TANUVAS and Nasal swab, Rectal
swab and faecal samples of 11 lions were sent to National
Institute of High Security Diseases (NIHSAD) Bhopal, Madhya
Pradesh, which was one of the four 4 designated institutes
authorized to take up SARS CoV-2 testing in captive animals.
One of the lioness, Neela, housed in Animal House no-2 at
the Safari area of zoo died on June three.
The lioness had been asymptotic and showed some nasal discharge
only on June two and had been symptomatically treated immediately.
As per the laboratory test results furnished by the Institute,
samples in respect of nine of the 11 lions have tested positive
for SARS CoV-2.
In order to ascertain whether or not the reported findings are
in the nature of false positives or the animal could have died
of co-morbidities, samples have also been sent to the Indian
Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly and the Centre for
Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad.
The Park has been scrupulously following the precautionary measures
prescribed in various advisories issued by the Central Zoo Authority,
the Central and the State Governments from time to time.
Prophylactic measures for the felids, mustelids, viverrids and primates
as arrived at in consultation with the expert team of TANUVAS, the
veterinarians of Hyderabad Zoo and also Bronx Zoo, are being adhered
to.
UNI GV 1614