JAIPUR: An Asiatic lion has tested positive for Covid in Jaipur’s Nahargarh Biological Park.
Besides, a white tiger, a panther, and another lion in the same zoo are also suspected to be infected from Covid-19 but their test reports have not confirmed the same.
Recently, under instructions of the Central Zoo Authority, 13 samples of canines in the park were sent to Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, by the forest department. It is their test report which has confirmed that Tripur, an Asiatic lion, at the Nahargarh Biological Park has tested positive for Covid-19. However, the samples of three other animals have been considered as suspects and the IVRI has asked for those to be sent again.
Officials of the forest department said that samples of a white tiger named Cheenu, a lioness named Tara, and a panther named Krishna from the same park will be sent again for testing. Dr. KP Singh, Head of Pathology Department at IVRI, said, “we had received 13 samples from the Jaipur park out of which only Tripur, the lion, has tested positive for Covid. But samples of three other animals also seem to be suspect and that is why we have asked for their samples to be sent again.”
The Nahargarh Biological Park located on the Jaipur-Delhi Highway had already been closed for tourists since last month.
Meanwhile, the ACF in the Rajasthan Forest Department Jagdish Gupta asserted that all instructions of IVRI are being followed and samples of the three suspect animals will be sent again for testing. "All animals at the park seem to be quite normal. They do not seem to be suffering from any of the cardinal symptoms of Covid such as respiratory distress, sneezing or coughing or nasal discharge, or loss of appetite. But we have re-sent samples as required by IVRI.”
The Forest Department claims that all necessary medicines are being given to other animals to prevent the spread of infection and to increase immunity among the animals at the park.