Phoenix zoo vaccinates 75 animals against Covid

New York, Dec 11 (IANS) Veterinarians at the Phoenix Zoo gave 75 animals their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine, media reports said.

The animals include big cats such as Sumatran tigers, jaguars and African lions; primates like Bornean orangutans and tiny emperor tamarins; and Egyptian fruit bats, armadillos and two-toed sloths, The Newsweek reported.

The vaccine specifically made for animals was developed by US-based animal health company Zoetis, which got a permit from the US Department of Agriculture early this year.

It first inoculated a troop of western lowland gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in January on an experimental basis.

Veterinarian Gary West, Phoenix Zoo's senior vice-president of animal and living collections, said the animals take to vaccination better than people do, the report said.

"They don't like it, but they bounce right back and go back to their lives," he was quoted as saying.

There have been no cases of Covid reported among the animals in Phoenix Zoo. The CDC says the risk of people spreading the virus to animals is low, but the zoo is taking precautions by giving the animals the vaccine beforehand, as other zoos have reported infections.

A zoo in Belgium recently reported that a pair of hippopotamuses tested positive for Covid-19 and were put in isolation. It is unknown how they contracted the virus, but it's believed to be the first recorded case for the species, USA Today reported.

Two tigers at the Pittsburgh Zoo have tested positive for the virus. It's believed they were infected by an asymptomatic zoo employee.

There have only been a few known cases of zoo animal deaths due to Covid complications, including three rare snow leopards that died recently at the Lincoln Children's Zoo in Nebraska.

Zoos across the US, including the St. Louis Zoo and the Denver Zoo, have recently grappled with Covid outbreaks among their animals, the report said.