Photo: Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty
Gorillas at Zoo Atlanta have been suffering fromCOVID-19symptoms.
Officials announced on Friday that some of their 20 western lowland gorillas experienced symptoms of “coughing, nasal discharge, and minor changes in appetite.”
The Animal Care and Veterinary Teams at the zoo went on to test them for COVID-19 and received “presumptive positive test results” from fecal samples and nasal and oral swabs sent to Athens Veterinary Diagnostic.
They are also waiting for confirmatory test results from the National Veterinary Services Laboratory.
“The teams are very closely monitoring the affected gorillas and are hopeful they will make a complete recovery. They are receiving the best possible care, and we are prepared to provide additional supportive care should it become necessary,” Sam Rivera, DVM, Senior Director of Animal Health, said in a statement. “We are very concerned that these infections occurred, especially given that our safety protocols when working with great apes and other susceptible animal species are, and throughout the pandemic have been, extremely rigorous.”
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Zoo Atlanta — which is home to theworld’s oldest living male gorilla, named Ozzie— revealed in the press release that they believe the gorillas contracted COVID-19 from a fully vaccinated team member who was asymptomatic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Preventionstatesthat the virus could “spread from people to animals in some situations, especially during close contact,” but they are still learning about the link.
Zoo Atlanta
In wake of a growing number of zoo animals contracting COVID-19 this year — such as a troop ofeight gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park— veterinary pharmaceutical company Zoetis donated more than 11,000 doses of its experimental vaccine for animals to about 70 zoos, sanctuaries, conservatories, academic institutions, and governmental operations, the company said in anews releasein July.
Zoo Atlanta stated in their announcement that they had been on the waitlist to receive Zoetis, which is why their gorillas hadn’t been vaccinated. However, the vaccines have now arrived at the facility and they plan to administer them once the animals recover. They also plan to vaccinate their Bornean and Sumatran orangutans, Sumatran tigers, African lions, and clouded leopard.
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source: people.com
