Second Lion In Indian Zoo Dies Of Covid-19 And 10 More Still Being Treated For Infection
A second lion at India’s Valandur zoo died Wednesday after a Covid-19 infection, zoo authorities announced, while 10 other lions continue to be treated for the disease, suggesting that big cats in zoological facilities may be more vulnerable to the coronavirus than previously thought.
The 12-year old male lion—named Padmanaban—who had been receiving intensive treatment for days, died at the Valandur Zoo near Chennai on Wednesday morning, according to zoo officials.
The animal had tested positive on June 3 along with several other lions and had been displaying symptoms such as coughing and loss of appetite, the Times of India reported.
As of Thursday, 10 other infected lions at the zoo are receiving treatment from an in-house veterinary team and an expert team from the state’s biggest veterinary university.
Two elderly lionesses—19-year old Bhuavana and 23-year-old Kavitha—who were critically ill last week, have begun to respond to treatments and are now eating properly, zoo officials said.
