A tiger housed at New York City’s Bronx Zoo has tested positive for COVID-19, which makes it the first-known animal in the U.S. to have contracted coronavirus.
The Wildlife Conservation Society which runs the facility and cares for the animals at the zoo made the announcement Sunday, saying a 4-year-old Malayan female tiger named Nadia has tested positive for the disease, which up until recently mostly affected just humans. The diagnosis was confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Lab.
The org adds other animals of theirs that have shown COVID-19 symptoms of late, including three other tigers and four lions, which have developed a dry cough, but all of which are expected to fully recover. Presumably, those other big cats will get tested too.
The Malayan tiger marks the first U.S-based animal case of coronavirus and the first case in a tiger anywhere in the world. Different animals including at least a couple dogs in China have reportedly contracted COVID-19, but it hasn’t gotten to our furry domesticated friends or at least as far as we know.
The Bronx Zoo has been on lockdown since March 16.
Original source- TMZ