Avian influenza outbreak kills 48 big cats in Vietnamese zoos

This photo shows lions sleeping together in a zoo. Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. AFP-Yonhap

SEOUL, October 04 (AJP) - Nearly 50 tigers, lions, and leopards have died at multiple Vietnamese zoos, with some testing positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. Since August, 44 tigers, three lions, and one leopard have perished at the Mango Garden Zoo in Dong Nai province and the My Quynh Zoo in Long An province.

At Mango Garden Zoo, 17 tigers and one leopard died after showing symptoms of fatigue and weakness. Autopsies on two tigers suggested pneumonia as the cause of death. My Quynh Zoo lost 27 tigers and three lions, with three of the tigers having been purchased from Mango Garden Zoo without proper quarantine certificates.

Authorities have deployed sanitation teams to inspect the sites, handle the deceased animals, and implement measures to prevent H5N1 transmission to humans. Thirty employees from Mango Garden Zoo and three from My Quynh Zoo who had direct contact with the animals are being monitored, although no respiratory symptoms have been reported so far.

H5N1 has the potential to infect humans, with occasional fatal cases reported in Viet Nam and other Southeast Asian countries. The outbreak has put health authorities on high alert as they work to contain the spread and prevent human transmission.

AJP