The Sri Lanka Veterinary Surgeons Association (SLVSA) on Sunday revealed that there are possibilities that the COVID-19 lion at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens had been infected by employees who look after the particular animal and maintain its cage.
The 11-year old lion ‘Thor’ tested positive for COVID-19 and is being treated by veterinary surgeons and doctors. SLVSA Chairman Dr. Erandika Gunawardana said at a media briefing that investigations revealed that the COVID-19 virus could be transmitted to animals from humans.
“This is not the first instance of animals contracting COVID-19, since several Tigers at a zoo in the United States had also tested positive for the virus several months ago,” he said.
Meanwhile, Animal Products and Health Department Director Dr. Hemali Kothalawala said the health authorities took immediate action to separate the lion and the Lioness and conducted PCR tests. She said so far there is no evidence to show humans contracting diseases from animals.
“We are also conducting investigations to verify whether the virus could have spread from the droppings of other animals in the zoo,” she said. This COVID infected Lion was brought to Sri Lanka from the Seoul zoo in South Korea in 2013 and during the past few days, the animal was having breathing difficulties and rejecting its food, which prompted the zoo authorities to conduct an Antigen test and several PCR tests.
It is also reported that eight Lions at a few zoological gardens in Chennai, Tamil Nadu have been infected with the COVID virus.
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