US News
Snow leopard dies of suspected COVID-19 at South Dakota zoo
A snow leopard at the Great Plains Zoo in South Dakota, where the big cats are believed to be suffering from SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, has died, officials say.
The zoo in Sioux Falls said Baya exhibited signs of a cough on Sunday, which was followed by a lack of appetite and lethargy on Monday. Other big cats at the zoo’s feline complex have displayed similar symptoms.
“On October 7, Baya experienced a rapid decline of respiratory function,” the zoo said in a statement on Friday. Broad-spectrum antibiotics and other supportive care were administered but the efforts were unsuccessful. She was 2.5 years old.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Baya. Our animal care and veterinary staffs fought arduously and did their best to help give Baya a fighting chance,” CEO Becky Dewitz said. “Each day, our animal care staff work to give our animals high quality care and their passion and dedication is evident. This loss is a deep wound, and our team grieves together.”
It was not immediately clear if Baya had been tested for coronavirus, but one of the zoo’s Amur tigers tested positive on Wednesday. A necropsy will be performed to investigate the exact cause of Baya’s death.
Strut, the male she was paired with, remains at the zoo and is experiencing minor symptoms.
SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported in a small number of animal species worldwide, mostly in animals that had close contact with people. Those species include cats, dogs, mink, otters, ferrets, lions, tigers, pumas, snow leopards, gorillas, and white-tailed deer.
-
US News3 days ago
3 more cats die of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S.
-
Entertainment1 week ago
‘Titanic’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ star Bernard Hill dead at 79
-
World4 days ago
Saudi Arabia reports 4 new cases of MERS coronavirus
-
Legal5 days ago
Man and 3 children found dead inside car near Atlanta
-
US News5 days ago
Crew member stabs 3 people on cruise ship heading to Alaska
-
Politics1 week ago
Car crashes into White House security barrier, driver killed
-
Legal1 week ago
At least 7 people shot in Long Beach near Los Angeles
-
Legal4 days ago
5 people shot, child killed, in San Antonio, Texas shooting attack