More than a dozen tigers were killed after animals contracted the H5N1 bird flu virus at a zoo in southern Vietnam, officials said. According to the state media VNExpress caretaker at Vuon Xoai zoo in Bien Hoa was quoted saying that the animals were fed with raw chicken bought from nearby farms. A panther – along with 20 tigers and their several cubs, weighed between 10 and 120 kilograms when they died.
The bodies, according to news reporters, were incinerated and buried on the premises. “The tigers died so fast. They looked weak, refused to eat, and died after two days of falling sick,” Nguyen Ba Phuc, the zoo manager was quoted by the local media.
Health authorities said samples taken from the tigers tested positive for H5N1 - the virus that causes bird flu - a viral infection that spreads in birds but can sometimes spread to humans. It leads to severe respiratory symptoms. “The deaths of 47 tigers, three lions, and a panther at My Quynh Safari and Vuon Xoai Zoo amid Vietnam’s bird flu outbreak are tragic and highlight the risks of keeping wild animals in captivity,” The Associated Press quoted PETA Senior Vice President Jason Baker in a statement.
“The exploitation of wild animals also puts global human health at risk by increasing the likelihood of another pandemic,” Baker added. More tigers have been isolated According to zoo authorities, more than 20 other tigers have been isolated for monitoring. The zoo houses some 3,000 other animals including lions, .
