11 African Lions Test Positive For COVID-19 At Denver Zoo

DENVER, CO — Eleven African lions tested positive for the coronavirus at the Denver Zoo, officials announced Monday.

The lions were seen coughing, sneezing and showing other symptoms, the zoo said.

The animals were then tested with swab samples that were sent to the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Fort Collins and a federal laboratory.

Earlier this month, two tigers became the first animals at the Denver Zoo to test positive for the coronavirus.

“There have been a number of big cats to come down with COVID-19 at zoos throughout the country, including our two tigers, Yuri and Nikita,” said Brian Aucone, senior VP for Life Sciences for the zoo.

“Fortunately, the vast majority have fully recovered, and the upside is that there’s an established knowledge base for us to draw from to help treat our animals," he said. "We’ve been in touch with other zoos that have also recently managed COVID cases in their big cats to inform the care we’re providing.”

The zoo is home to two African lion prides. The first includes brothers Jasiri, Usiku, Bahati and Kito, all age 6. The second includes males Tobias, 5, Tatu, 2, and Oskar, 1; and females Neliah, 9, Sabi, 9, Kamara, 6, and Araali, 1.

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"Similar to Yuri and Nikita, none of the lions had  been vaccinated against COVID-19, but our veterinarians are planning to vaccinate them along with the tigers as soon as more doses of the animal-specific Zoetis vaccine become available," the Denver Zoo said in a news release.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Denver Zoo has worked closely with public health agencies at all levels of government to implement safety protocols, officials said. Zoo staff use protective equipment and adhere to strict cleaning, self-screening and health management rules. The zoo also installed protective barriers around habitats.