Critical lions are showing improvement at Vandalur Zoo

Right now, the zoo has eight lions tested positive for COVID; four lions are out of danger, which is asymptomatic. Two lioness Kavitha (23) and Bhuvana (19) have been showing marked improvement, and the remaining two lions are on and off showing some symptoms.

“There is a development in lions, which were tested positive for COVID earlier this month. The two oldest lioness Kavitha and Bhuvana were in critical condition and didn’t eat for a week. But for the past four days, they have been showing marked improvement and started eating too. The general feed for lions we follow is 7 kg of meat and one kg of the liver every day. Since they have tested positive and not eating properly, we have replaced with chicken and mutton with same quantity as per doctors’ advice, but they reject one or one and a half kg sometimes and been eating only by 70 per cent,” said a senior zoo official.

However, the zoo has started feeding a regular diet for the four lions, which are asymptomatic. Initially, they didn’t develop any symptoms for COVID, still tested positive for the virus. Recently, the zoo has collected samples of these four lions and it has been sent to the National Institute of High-Security Diseases (NIHSAD) Bhopal, and waiting for the results.

Recently, the Vandalur Zoo informed that four lions are tested for Delta variants as per WHO nomenclature. The zoo official said, “We are yet to know which four lions have tested positive for delta variant of COVID-19. But we assume all to be of the same variant, at least the ones housed in Lion Safari area.”