A tiger at the Bronx Zoo is the first animal to test positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The zoo revealed that Nadia, a four-year-old Malayan tiger, had begun to exhibit symptoms of the virus, after coming into contact with an asymptomatic staffer. “This is the first time we know of, or from any of the people we’ve been in contact with, that an animal has gotten sick with COVID,” Paul Calle, the chief veterinarian, shared with the Daily News. Nadia‘s sister Azul, as well as two Amur tigers, and three African lions have also exhibited symptoms, but have not been tested. Paul continued that the diagnosis “surprised us all because in this global pandemic (and the SARS pandemic in 2002) animals didn’t get sick.