Asiatic lion dies of COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu zoo; second death in a month

Since the detection of the infection among animals, the zoo management has been involved in hectic efforts to prevent its spread among other animals.

PTI

June 16, 2021 / 17:56 IST

Representative image (Source: Shutterstock)

Another lion at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) in Vandalur, succumbed to SARS-CoV-2 on Wednesday morning.

Confirming the death of the Asiatic male lion named Pathbanathan, aged 12 years, Deputy Director of AAZP said the lion was housed in the safari area of the park.

"Samples of the said lion had tested positive for SARS- CoV-2 as per the report of National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, communicated on June 3. The lion has been under intensive treatment since then," he said in a statement.

This is the second tragedy that struck the zoo which lost a nine-year-old lioness Neela due to Coronavirus on June 3.

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