The coronavirus is clearly not discriminating. The Wildlife Conservation Society announced in a statement that one of their tigers at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID-19.
“Nadia, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo, has tested positive for COVID-19. She, her sister Azul, two Amur tigers, and three African lions had developed a dry cough and all are expected to recover,” the statement read.
According to the New York Post, the diagnosis was confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa “out of an abundance of caution,” the society said.
The big cats are on the mend, the WCS said.
“Though they have experienced some decrease in appetite, the cats at the Bronx Zoo are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers,” the statement said. “It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries.”
