[ad_1]
SINGAPORE – Wildlife parks here, including the Singapore Zoo, are monitoring their captive animals for Covid-19 infections after a recent episode at the New York City Bronx Zoo, where a tiger tested positive by the coronavirus.
Animal keepers at the island’s four wildlife parks, which include Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and River Safari, are closely watching the animals for signs of irregular behavior and disease, Dr. Cheng Wen said. -Haur, Deputy Executive Director of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS).
“During this time, clinical signs such as dry cough, poor appetite and other respiratory problems, which may be indicative of Covid-19, would be quickly reported to trigger further examination by the veterinary team,” he added.
WRS manages the island’s wildlife parks.
About 120 staff members, including those from the animal care and veterinary teams, sign up daily to care for a total of 15,000 animals at the four parks.
Bronx zoo officials had tested the tiger, named Nadia, after she started showing symptoms, a dry cough and a slight loss of appetite last month.
On April 22, he said six other big cats that had been showing similar symptoms, and another tiger that never developed a cough, also tested positive for the virus.
According to the zoo, the animals contracted the virus from an infected zoo employee, who had no symptoms at the time or was asymptomatic.
There are also reports of pet infections in Hong Kong, Belgium, and other parts of the United States, as well as minks on two farms in the Netherlands.
PHOTO: WILDLIFE RESERVE SINGAPORE
However, Dr. Cheng, who is also the director of life science for WRS, said the risk of humans contracting the virus from animals is very low.
Experts from around the world share the same opinion. The World Health Organization has argued that while experiments show that cats and ferrets can transmit the virus to other animals of the same species, there is no evidence that such animals can transmit the virus to humans and play a role. role in its spread.
The World Organization for Animal Health, an international organization that has Taiwan and 181 countries as members, has also said there is no evidence that pets play a major role in the spread of Covid-19.
The opinion of the organization is quoted locally by the Animal and Veterinary Service, which reports to the National Parks Board.
Meanwhile, staff at Singapore’s wildlife parks have adopted additional protocols to prevent cross-transmission of disease between themselves and the animals in their care.
This includes putting on face masks and gloves when working with an animal, and washing hands with soap and water after any interaction with animals, Dr. Cheng said.
Staff also minimize or avoid direct contact with animals whenever possible, especially primates and carnivores, which are at increased risk of infection.
“Great apes are a specific concern, as they generally succumb to the same diseases as humans. To some extent, this is also true for other primates,” said Dr. Cheng.
He added that carnivores have also been shown to be susceptible, citing Nadia’s case and previous incidents of civets infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), a coronavirus that hit Singapore in 2003.
The protocols complement those that existed before the Covid-19 outbreak, such as routine disease screening and animal vaccination, as well as safe work practices for staff.
“For example, if one of our animal care staff is not feeling well and shows symptoms of a cold or fever, they will not come to work, both for their safety and for our animals,” said Dr. Cheng.
He said WRS remains committed to ensuring the maintenance of wildlife parks and animal welfare, despite declining revenues due to the temporary closure of wildlife parks.
The organization also appreciates the continued support of its visitors over the years, he said.
“Without your support, we would not have been able to provide world-class care to our animals and protect threatened wildlife in the wild,” he added.
[ad_2]
