The monkeys in San Diego did not get a stick in their noses, but their urine was tested after showing symptoms. They are the first infected monkeys in the United States and probably worldwide.
The zoo’s director suspects that a member of staff has infected the gorillas. “And that while we had taken measures. Fortunately the monkeys are doing well, they have mild symptoms.”
Watch the video of the gorillas and the zoo director below:
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Some animals sensitive
“It is known that some animals are more sensitive to corona than others”, says Wineke Schoo, director of the Dutch Zoo Association. For example, in the Barcelona Zoo, lions were infected.
In Dutch zoos there are protocols for employees. “They are not allowed to work if they have complaints, this also applies to flu complaints. Because great apes become sicker than us because of the flu. This is because we come into contact with flu more often than monkeys. Because of corona, employees now have to keep their distance and wear a face mask. “
No protocol
If the monkeys in the Netherlands get corona, there is no protocol. “That is difficult, you have to consider the situation on a case-by-case basis. Some animals are in a limited space, they are actually already in quarantine. If other monkeys in the same room are not infected, you can consider a quarantine.”
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At Apenheul, the corona measures also apply between employees and animals. Thomas Bionda works as a biologist at Apenheul. “We are very vigilant that employees do not transmit viruses. So we also wear face masks for the monkeys. If the monkeys do show corona symptoms, we will immediately investigate.”
No insulation
If the monkeys turn out to be positive, they won’t separate the animals. “Because they are social animals, but also that if we test it, there is a good chance that the whole troop is already infected.”
That the monkeys are so sensitive to the virus, according to Bionda, is because they are so closely related to humans. The DNA of the bonobo and the chimpanzee is 98.5 percent similar. “They have the same complexity in the brain structure. In addition, they display the same physiological aspects and they have the same thinking and learning capacity. The susceptibility to such a virus does not differ that much.”
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