Wildlife Disease Control Institute surveys zoo disease status and creates management guidelines for major diseases
Reporter Sangjun Yoon [email protected]
Animals in zoos also get sick. There are serious infectious diseases that are life-threatening, and there are zoonotic infectious diseases that can spread to humans.
However, until now, the response to diseases in zoo animals has been limited to individual zoos. There was no significant information exchange between zoos or government-level management.
The National Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention Institute has been investigating the status of zoonotic diseases through research services since this year. We also plan to prepare management guidelines for major diseases. This measure comes as disease control requirements have been strengthened as zoos and aquariums have been upgraded to a licensing system.
Jeong In-jeong, a researcher at the Wildlife Disease Control Center, introduced the exhibition animal disease management progress at the 2024 Fall Conference of the Korean Society of Zoonotic Infectious Diseases held in Danyang, Sonomun, on Friday, November 15.
According to the announcement on this day, one endangered Siberian tiger died at the Seoul Zoo last year due to viral panleukopenia. Additional positive cases were confirmed in parvovirus tests on cohabiting individuals.
Tuberculosis, a zoonotic infectious disease, is also being confirmed one after another in zoos. At a zoo in Seoul, bovine tuberculosis continued to occur in seven species of animals in the South American pavilion, including guanacos, llamas, and capybaras, from 2021 to 2022. 43 animals were confirmed positive and died or were culled.
Last year, the Daejeon-based zoo also independently confirmed bovine tuberculosis in five species, including deer, alpaca, and sheep, and requested a confirmatory test from the Wildlife Disease Control Center. A total of 11 animals were confirmed positive for bovine tuberculosis.
Researcher Jeong said, “Recently, the demand for disease testing for various wild animals protected and managed in ecological parks is increasing as zoonotic diseases have occurred in zoos or have been detected during illegal introduction,” and added, “As it is a facility visited by an unspecified number of citizens, He pointed out, “Management of zoonotic infectious diseases (in zoos) is especially important.”
At the same time, it was reported that the Wildlife Disease Control Center plans to prepare disease control measures not only for wild animals but also for exhibition animals in zoos.
This is a measure taken as the Zoos and Aquariums Act has been fully revised, zoos have been upgraded to a licensing system, and disease management as required by law has been strengthened.
The fully revised Zoo and Aquarium Act stipulates that zoos must submit a disease management plan for their animals when seeking permission from the provincial or provincial governor. The health status of the animals held is regularly inspected through visual inspection, fecal inspection, diagnostic imaging, and blood testing, and reports are made when livestock infectious diseases or major wildlife diseases occur.
Researcher Jeong explained, “With the introduction of the zoo licensing system, we are preparing in earnest to establish disease management measures for zoo animals,” and added, “We have been investigating the disease status through research services with the participation of major domestic zoos since the beginning of this year.”
Through research on the development of ‘Zoo Disease Management Status Survey and Disease Management Guidelines’ commissioned by Professor Kim Gyu-tae’s team at Kyungpook National University, the current status of major diseases occurring in domestic zoos is identified and the diseases that the Wildlife Disease Control Center will focus on are selected.
Researcher Jeong said, “Even frontline zoos are curious about what diseases are prevalent in other zoos,” and added, “We have expanded the survey to all zoos with the cooperation of local governments and regional watershed environmental offices since November, and the response has been more positive than expected.”
He added, “In the case of tuberculosis, we have already established response guidelines for bovine tuberculosis in zoos,” and added that through research, we will identify major diseases in domestic zoos by next year and create response guidelines.
What are the long-term effects on animal populations and public health if zoos fail to adequately implement disease management strategies?
1. How important is it for zoos to effectively manage and control diseases among their animal populations, and what potential consequences could arise if these diseases are not adequately addressed?
2. Can you discuss the specific challenges that zoos face in managing diseases among their animal populations, especially since many of these animals are exotic and may not respond well to traditional treatment methods?
3. What role does the Wildlife Disease Control Institute play in assisting zoos with managing infectious diseases, and how might their involvement improve overall disease control efforts?
4. How has the introduction of a licensing system for zoos impacted disease management practices, and what do licensed facilities need to prepare for in terms of demonstrating their ability to control infectious diseases?
5. Can you provide an overview of the scope of the Zoos and Aquariums Act, and how it relates to managing diseases within these facilities?
6. What types of diseases are most commonly found in domestic zoos, and how do you propose addressing these through the new ‘Zoo Disease Management Status Survey and Disease Management Guidelines’?
7. what advice would you give to other zoos around the world who are looking to improve their disease management strategies, based on your experiences with the initiatives taken by the National Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention Institute in South Korea?
