Along with the Malayan tiger Nadia, who was the first animal in the U.S. to test positive, now seven additional large cats have been diagnosed with COVID-19.
Like Nadia, they live in The Bronx Zoo. The cats that have now tested positive include four other tigers (all living in the “Tiger Mountain” area) as well as three African lions.
Three of the tigers and the lions had been showing similar symptoms to Nadia, including a cough, and so they were tested “out of an abundance of caution,” the Wildlife Conservation Society said. “All eight cats continue to do well. They are behaving normally, eating well, and their coughing is greatly reduced.”
They said that none of the zoo’s snow leopards, cheetahs, clouded leopard, Amur leopard, puma or serval are showing any signs of sickness. The cats were infected by a staff member who did not have symptoms, and there are now more preventative measures in place to care for the animals.
They also clarified that the testing was done in veterinary laboratories and did not take away testing resources from humans.
You can read the full update on the Wildlife Conservation Society’s website here.
[featured image source: Bronx Zoo / Facebook]