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BLOOMINGTON — Five big cats at Bloomington’s Miller Park Zoo have tested positive for COVID-19, the city announced Friday afternoon.
The zoo’s one Sumatran tiger and four snow leopards started showing symptoms of labored breathing and a cough Nov. 20, and zoo staff and veterinarians took precautions as soon as those symptoms appeared, a news release stated.
COVID vaccines for Bloomington zoo animals could be on the way
Zoo director Jay Tetzloff told The Pantagraph on Wednesday that the five cats with symptoms were already being treated for coronavirus and are responding to that treatment.
“Since the Katthoefer Animal Building has been closed for almost two weeks, any issue has been isolated,” he said in Friday’s news release. “The Miller Park Zoo, as always, is safe for our guests to come out to the zoo and enjoy Wild Lights.”
Wild Lights prices this weekend are free to Miller Park Zoological Society members and $5 for non-members. Anyone who purchased full-price tickets in advance will receive a $3 reimbursement, or they can choose to have the money go to the zoo as a charitable donation. For now, pricing for the second weekend of the event, Dec. 10 and 11, will remain at $3 for Miller Park Zoological Society members and $8 for non-members.
The De Brazza’s Monkey exhibit is expected to open in mid-July, and zoo officials expect to break ground this fall on a new South America exhibit that will feature three different animals — Giant Anteaters, Galapagos Tortoises and Bush Dogs.
Masks are required at all indoor spaces at the zoo.
On Wednesday, Tezloff that while COVID vaccines are available for certain species of animals that are more susceptible to the virus, such as carnivores and primates, the zoo so far has held off on those, deciding to monitor how animals at other zoos respond. He said testing of the vaccine is limited for animals due to certain species being endangered, which made vaccinations riskier.
“We’ve just been waiting, evaluating, talking with others, and we’ve gotten closer to saying yes (to the vaccine) every time we’ve talked about it,” he said.
Recognize these history photos of Bloomington’s Miller Park Zoo?
1979 photo
Sumatran tiger Lonesome Bill is shown in 1979.
Students and big cats
1984: Decatur Garfield Elementary School fifth grade students are entranced by the big cats: from left, Shelly Green, 11; Tiffany Taylor, 10; Mark Brybeck, 11 and Darrell West, 12.
1978 photo
A squirrel walks on a sign about Miller Park Zoo renovations in the 1970s.
Sea lions
1978: Chumley the California sea lion, will flip, flop and splash his tricks and plays with visitors.
Rubber cobra in gift shop
1984: Decatur Garfield Elementary fifth grade students Deric Sweitzer, 12, attacks Billy Joe Harpool, 11, with rubber cobra bought in zoo gift shop.
Parrot
1984: Miller Park Zoo parrot enjoys a carrot while watching Garfield Elementary fifth-graders.
1984 photo
Crowds look at the mountain lions in 1984.
Llama
1984: A leery llama checks out Garfield Elementary fifth graders at the Miller Park Zoo.
Katie the tiger
1979: Katie the Sumatran tiger is not as ferocious as she looks. This is just a yawn. Katie will be introduced to her new mate, Bill, later in the year.
Jaguar
1978: The jaguar eyes any intruder.
goats
1978: Goats are among the animals in the petting zoo awaiting attention from visitors.
Donkeys
1978: Donkey’s Mac and Muffin wait for children’s pats in the petting zoo.
Chumley the sea lion
1978: Chumley converses with photographer at Miller Park Zoo.
Animal house
The animal house is shown in 1978.
Contact Robyn Skaggs at (309) 820-3244.
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