Tigers and gorillas among first animals vaccinated against COVID-19 at Calgary Zoo
Calgary Zoo staff give a COVID-19 vaccination to Samkha, an Amur tiger. (Courtesy Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo)
Vaccinations are now underway on animals at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.
Zoo staff have been wearing PPE while around all species since the start of the pandemic and visitors have been moved back from exhibits and habitats.
And now, thanks to a donation from Zoetis, Calgary is one of five facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums receiving COVID-19 vaccination shipments to protect animals against the virus.
Zoo officials began vaccinating animals on April 5, starting with western lowland gorillas Dossi and Kimani, snow leopard Leika, Amur tigers Samkha and Sarma, Bactrian camel Ollie and some of the lemurs.
"A total of 66 animals will be vaccinated three times, with a refresher vaccine in a year," the zoo said in a release.
"All the animals that will be vaccinated were selected based on a risk-benefit analysis by the zoo’s ACHW team."
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