Tiger tests positive for coronavirus after developing dry cough

A tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for COVID-19 after apparent exposure to an infected worker.

The four-year-old female Malayan tiger named Nadia was tested out of an abundance of caution after developing a dry cough and a decrease in appetite, the zoo’s parent company, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), said in a statement Sunday.  

Six other cats at the zoo, including Nadia’s sister Azul, two Amur tigers and three African lions, were also suffering possible coronavirus symptoms, WCS said.

All of the cats are expected to recover. 

WCS said that the cats were infected by a person caring for them who had COVID-19 but was asymptomatic or had not yet developed symptoms.  

‘Appropriate preventive measures are now in place for all staff who are caring for them, and the other cats in our four WCS zoos, to prevent further exposure of any other of our zoo cats,’ the statement said.  

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Nadia’s positive COVID-19 results were confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa. 

It does not appear that the other cats were tested for the virus.  

‘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.’

All four affected tigers were living in the zoo’s Tiger Mountain exhibit. A male Amur tiger that also lives in the exhibit has not shown any signs of COVID-19, WCS said.    

There is no evidence to suggest that animals can pass the virus on to people, according to the USDA, which has said there are no known cases among pets or livestock in the US. 

The Bronx Zoo has been temporarily closed since March 16.   

New York City has been hit harder by COVID-19 than any other part of the country, with more than 67,500 cases and 2,624 deaths as of Sunday evening.