A tragic incident occurred at a zoo in Hong Kong in October. Twelve monkeys died from a deadly infectious disease. How the animals became infected has not yet been fully clarified.
However, experts are now calling for more security and better precautionary measures. Is Berlin Zoo now also in danger?
Berlin Zoo: Dangerous disease kills monkeys in Hong Kong
A tragic incident leaves the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens in turmoil on October 13th. Twelve monkeys died there one after the other from a deadly infectious disease that can also affect humans. According to the “Tagesspiegel”, the animals affected were Brazza monkeys, squirrel monkeys, squirrel monkeys and white-faced sakis.
+++ BVG threatens new strikes – Verdi reveals the first details +++
As the authorities of the Chinese Special Administrative Region announced, the mammal area in the zoological and botanical garden will remain closed in order to closely monitor the health of the animals there.
How great is the danger for Berlin Zoo?
Examinations of the dead animals showed that the monkeys died from the infectious disease melioidosis. How exactly the monkeys became infected is still unclear. However, one assumption is that they could have come into contact with the pathogen through contaminated soil. In response to the case, experts called for precautionary measures to be tightened.
The zoo will have to ask an outside organization to review its biosecurity protocols, Dirk Pfeiffer, a veterinarian who teaches at Hong Kong City University, told the South China Morning Post. Lessons must be learned from the fatal incident in order to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
More news from Berlin:
If this disease were to come to Germany, it would also pose a danger to the Berlin Zoo. But the good news is: Melioidosis is a disease that predominantly occurs in subtropical and tropical areas. There is currently no risk for the animals at Berlin Zoo.
A spokeswoman also explained this to BERLIN LIVE: “Melioidosis is a pathogen from tropical areas that is currently of no significance to us.”
