Auckland Zoo begins vaccinating animals against COVID-19

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A San Francisco Bay Area zoo is vaccinating big cats, bears and rodents against the coronavirus as part of a national effort to protect animal species with an experimental vaccine.

Tigers Ginger and Molly are the first two animals at the Oakland Zoo to get vaccinated this week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday. The doses were donated and developed by the veterinary pharmaceutical company Zoetis of New Jersey.

None of the animals had contracted the virus, said Alex Hermann, the zoo’s vice president of veterinary services, but they wanted to be proactive. Tigers, black bears, mountain lions, and lemmings were the first to receive the first two doses. Next are primates and pigs.

She said in a press release that the zoo used social distancing barriers and that staff wore protective gear to protect vulnerable species. “We are happy and relieved that we are now able to better protect our animals with this vaccine,” she said.

A tiger receives a COVID-19 vaccine at the Oakland Zoo in Oakland, California. The tigers have been trained to voluntarily submit themselves to simple medical procedures, including COVID-19 vaccinations. The Auckland Zoo is vaccinating big cats, bears and rodents against the coronavirus with an experimental vaccine being donated to zoos, sanctuaries and conservatories across the country. AP

Zoetis donates more than 11,000 doses to the animals that live in nearly 70 zoos, as well as more than a dozen conservatories, conservatories, academic institutions and government organizations located in 27 states, according to the press release.

The San Diego Zoo began primate vaccinations in January after a COVID-19 outbreak among a group of gorillas at a safari park.

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Great apes share 98% of their DNA with humans and are particularly vulnerable, as do cats. Confirmed cases of coronavirus include gorillas, tigers, lions in zoos, and pet cats and dogs.

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