Captured Tigers In US Vulnerable To COVID-19, Experts Say

Early last month, a tiger at the Bronx zoo became the first animal to test positive for COVID-19.

Nadia, a 4-year-old female Malaysian tiger, contracted the virus from a zoo staff. She was then tested “out of an abundance of caution” after having respiratory difficulties and other COVID-19-related symptoms.

While Nadia underwent several tests before veterinarians considered COVID-19, the virus caused by the novel coronavirus, Bronx Zoo chief veterinarian Paul Calle said they wanted to test the animal for the virus because New York City is an epicenter in the pandemic. Azul, Nadia's sister, two Amur tigers and three African lions also showed signs of COVID-19.

Three weeks after Nadia tested positive, four more tigers and three lions were infected. Again, Calle didn't rule out the fact that they caught the virus from an infected but asymptomatic Bronx Zoo staff.

As the new trend emerges among big cats, experts believe that the next best thing – or the proverbial “new normal” - for zoos to do is implement social distancing for these animals and provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their staff.

With more than 5,000 tigers living in captivity in the United States, only fewer than 6% are situated in accredited zoos. The rest who are not that “lucky” are being held in unregulated zoos and “private captivity” around the country.

This is where social distancing comes into play. Tigers that live in cramped spaces with little or no hygiene factors are, just like humans, highly susceptible to be infected.

“Unless there is a licensed staff of veterinarians to individually care for these animals at proper protocol levels, it's impossible to prevent,” said Kelci “Saff” Saffery, star of the infamous “Tiger King” show on Netlfix, after addressing that an “outbreak of disease” is always possible in these situation.

Preliminary studies show that COVID-19 “replicates poorly” in dogs, pigs and chickens, but ferrets and cats are more vulnerable. Nadia's case, as well as the infected lions and tigers, has raised "many unanswered questions.” Calle said other big cats in the Zoo are not showing symptoms.

As for the staff, American Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) president has already extended valuable information to workers at the Bronx Zoo, such as wearing protective equipment and maintaining the recommended six feet “whenever possible.”