Delhi zoo tigress Kalpana didn't die due to COVID-19: Centre

The tigress’s death amid the COVID-19 pandemic had sparked fears

 By Rekha Dixit April 24, 2020 22:56 IST

The death of Kalpana, a white tigress in Delhi zoo, on Wednesday had set alarm bells ringing. However, the Ministry for Environment, Forests and Climate Change clarified late on Friday evening that the tigress died of renal failure and other complications related to old age.

With nine big cats in New York's Bronx zoo having tested positive for COVID-19, forestry and zoo authorities across India have been extra cautious about keeping the infection away from fauna. Elsewhere in the world, domestic animals like cats and dogs, too, have tested positive for the virus. However, there is still not enough information on whether the infection can spread back to humans through animals. There is not enough information either on how seriously animals could get sick with the infection, whether it can spread from one animal to another, or whether the infection has to be directly from a human.

Shortly after the first tiger was confirmed positive in New York, the Central Zoo Authority as well as the MoEFCC had promulgated rules on how to keep animals, both in captivity and in the wild, far from infection, and also a protocol on actions to be taken if an animal tests positive.

Though Kalpana was asymptomatic, her body was tested for infection. “As such there were no symptoms or external conditions to suspect that her death is due to COVID-19. However, as per the Central Zoo Authority advisory issued in this regard, samples had been collected after ensuring all bio security measures and were sent to Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI),'' said a statement from MoEFCC. “Later, the IVRI confirmed that Tigress Kalpana was found negative for COVID-19,'' the statement added. The IVRI is in Bareilly.

Nadia, a tigress in Bronx zoo, was the first reported case of a COVID-19 positive big cat. Her diagnosis was confirmed on April 5 after she took ill. The zoo had closed to visitors on March 16 itself, but the most likely theory of her infection is that she contracted it from an asymptomatic visitor. In the subsequent three weeks, eight more big cats--lions and tigers--tested positive for the infection.

Tiger deaths in Indian zoos are high, with the Association of Indian Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians claiming that around 20 tigers die across Indian zoos every year. The number of tigers in Indian zoos has dwindled in recent years and stands at around 245. The number of tigers in the wild has shown a healthy rise and the count is 2,967 (as of 2018). This is, however, still a very vulnerable population, and an epidemic could wipe the big cats out entirely. Even more vulnerable is the Asiatic Lion Population of Gujarat, with the last census of 2015 putting the count at 523. Given that they are restricted to one area, and lack in genetic diversity, they are a highly susceptible population of big cats.
Source: https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2020/04/24/delhi-zoo-tigress-kalpana-didnt-die-due-to-covid-19-centre.html