A Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo, photographed in 2017. In a first, one of the zoo’s Malayan tigers, Nadia, has tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. Six other big cats are also showing symptoms of the illness.<\/p>\n
A tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, and six other big cats are exhibiting symptoms consistent with the illness, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the first time, to our knowledge, that a [wild] animal has gotten sick from COVID-19 from a person,\u201d says Paul Calle<\/a>, chief veterinarian for the Bronx Zoo. The Malayan tiger, named Nadia, likely contracted the coronavirus from an infected\u2014but unknown\u2014asymptomatic zookeeper. \u201cIt\u2019s the only thing that makes sense,\u201d Calle says. The zoo has been closed to visitors since March 16.<\/p>\n Several domestic animals had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, including a Pomeranian<\/a> and a German shepherd<\/a> in Hong Kong, a domestic cat in Belgium<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cats, both wild and domestic, are susceptible to feline coronavirus<\/a>, but until recently, it was unknown whether they could contract SARS-CoV-2. A new Chinese study<\/a> has found that cats may be able to infect each other, and scientists are rushing to learn what other species<\/a> may be able to be infected by it.<\/p>\n A world first at the Bronx Zoo<\/strong><\/p>\n After developing a dry cough in late March, the four-year-old Malayan tiger, Nadia, was tested for the virus on April 2, according to Calle. Nadia\u2019s sister, two Siberian tigers<\/a>, and three African lions<\/a> have also had coughs and a loss of appetite, though they have not been tested. The zoo has the seven cats under veterinary care and expects them to recover, Calle says, though the Wildlife Conservation Society, the nonprofit that runs the Bronx Zoo, cautioned in a news release that it\u2019s unknown how the disease might progress in animals.<\/p>\n When Nadia started showing symptoms, the veterinary team did a number of diagnostic tests and blood work. \u201cConsidering what\u2019s going on in New York City, we of course did the COVID testing,\u201d Calle says. The team conducted the test on-site at the zoo, after sedating Nadia. They sent the samples for testing to the New York State Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University and the samples University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.<\/p>\n According to the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is currently no evidence that domestic or captive wild animals can spread the novel coronavirus to people<\/a>. (It\u2019s believed the virus infecting humans likely developed<\/a> from a very closely related coronavirus found in bats.)<\/p>\n What\u2019s next?<\/strong><\/p>\n This is all completely new, Calle says, so there are many unanswered questions, including whether tigers and lions are more susceptible to coronavirus than other animals. None of the zoo\u2019s other big cats, including snow leopards, cheetahs, a clouded leopard, an Amur leopard, and a puma are showing symptoms.<\/p>\n Zookeepers around the country have been making extra efforts to protect great apes<\/a> in their care, as great apes can easily catch respiratory illnesses from humans<\/a>. Experts have warned<\/a> that they may be particularly susceptible to coronavirus.<\/p>\n The Bronx Zoo team is going to be sharing the diagnostic information widely with the zoo and scientific community, Calle says. \u201cI suspect that there are other cases, and now that we\u2019re sharing this information I have a hunch other likely cases will turn up.\u201d<\/p>\n