Denver Zoo Denver Zoo News 2021

Denver Zoo has announced that its two Amur tigers, Nikita and Yuri, have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.

Denver Zoo's Tigers Test Positive for COVID-19 - Denver Zoo

 

It’s a little concerning that covid is starting to become present in so many zoo animals (especially big cats) all of a sudden. It seems like so many zoos have announced cases with their big cats in the last couple weeks or so.

 

The zoo recently recieved Draco, a 4-year old male gerenuk, on a breeding recommendation from the SSP.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...nver-zoo-test-positive-for-covid-19?_amp=true

11 African Lions have tested positive for COVID-19

 

Oh my god. The number of big cat COVID cases all of a sudden is really alarming. Why has it become so bad all of a sudden, aren’t zoos starting to vaccinate their animals?

 

Yes but the animal vaccines are not widely available yet and even the zoos that have started, have not been able to vaccinate all susceptible animals.

 

Two spotted hyenas have now tested positive. This doesn't surprise me as canines are at risk, and I believe the hyenas use the same exhibit space as the African lions who all tested positive and presumably have the same keeper as the lions.

USDA APHIS | Confirmation of COVID-19 in Hyenas at a Colorado Zoo

 

But Hyenas aren’t canines .

 

True. I lumped them all together in my reasoning because they're in the Canid and Hyaenid TAG and figure there must be some similarity among them all (beyond being mammals) as far as susceptibility.

 

According to Denver Zoo’s Instagram story, the Zoo now has the endangered Scaly Sided Merganser, although it never specified how many, I can identify one as an adult female.