Three tigers (one tiger and two tigress) and one leopard (female) have died of H5N1 or Avian Influenza (AI) virus at Gorewada Rescue Centre in Maharashtra’s Nagpur. A red alert has been issued on January 3, 2025, by the Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Central Zoo Authority, to all the zoos, rescue and transit centres in the State for preparedness of zoos to prevent ingress of AI.
The veterinarians of the Wildlife Research and Training Centre at Gorewada has also issued a detailed bio-security measures to prevent access of birds to animals’ enclosures by using nets or covers along with routine sampling and testing of birds in and around the facilities along with regular monitoring of animals for their unusual behaviour or any symptoms indicative of the virus.
Government data says 628 tigers die in India during the past five years
The advisory read, “The H5N1 (Avian Influenza) has been detected at the Wildlife Rescue Centre, Gorewada, Nagpur in December 2024. The investigation has revealed that the animals have died of H5N1. In order to curb the menace, information/advisory is being issued.”
The objective of the advisory is to minimise the risk of AI transmission to animals, ensure early detection and rapid containment of cases and protect staff and other animals from infection.
Shatanik Bhagwat, Divisional Manager, Gorewada Project said the animals contracted the virus 10 days ago and died in the last week of December 2024. “On December 30, 2024, we sent the samples to ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NISHAD), Bhopal that confirmed the H5N1 virus on January 3, 2025. The samples were sent after their death.”
Nasal, pharyngeal and rectal swabs samples of the animals were collected for examination in labs. These animals were brought from Chandrapur, Maharashtra, after a human-wildlife conflict incident occurred in the region in December.
After a few days of bringing them to the Gorewada Rescue Centre, they were showing symptoms of limping, diarrhoea, vomiting, watery eyes and chest infection fever. The other clinical signs are nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, or difficulty breathing, neurological symptoms such as head tilting or incoordination and sudden death without prior signs of illness.
“At first instance, one cannot define by looking at the animals that they are suffering from AI because these symptoms are common in animals. One tiger only had fever and no other symptoms at all. H5N1 is a lethal virus but the other variants of the virus may not be this lethal and the animals can be saved on timely medical treatment. Even if H5N1 is detected early, the chances of animals surviving from this virus are slim,” Mr. Bhagwat said.
At the Gorewada Rescue Centre that currently houses 12 tigers, and 24 leopards, isolation and safety protocols are followed strictly to avoid any further contamination.
AI is primarily a disease of birds, but certain strains such as H5N1, H5N8 have demonstrated the ability to infect mammals, including tigers, leopards and other mammals through contact with infected birds or their contaminated environment. AI outbreaks in wild carnivores have been linked to consumption of infected prey or raw meat. The advisory has asked to avoid feeding carnivores raw poultry or other meat products to the animals from unknown or unverified sources.
“All the enclosures that housed the big cats were thoroughly disinfected and treated with fire blowers. We are disinfecting all the other enclosures every day as a precaution measure. Staff involved in the care and handling of the animals wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including N95 masks, gloves, and protective gowns. Those who took care of the dead animals are closely monitored for flu-like symptoms for 10 days post-exposure, but all the animals and staff currently are healthy at the centre. We are conducting routine sampling and testing of birds in and around the facility to detect potential reservoirs,” he said.
The rescue centre is a km away from the Gorewada International Zoo in an open space.
The Central Zoo Authority in the office memorandum issued to all the zoos in Maharashtra said, “It is directed to refer to this office advisory to zoos for compliance with the extant National Action Plan on “Prevention, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza” and its addendum specific to zoos. As per the correspondence from the Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying addressed to the Chief Secretary, Government of Maharashtra dated January 3, 2025 about confirmation of Avian Influenza (H5N1) in leopards and tigers in Gorewada Project, Nagpur, Maharashtra.”
The notification also said that H5N1 is a highly contagious viral disease with zoonotic ramification. It is, therefore, advised that all zoos remain alert and vigilant for any symptoms among captive animals’ houses in zoos and incidence, if any, in nearby areas. “Preparedness with specific reference to ‘Bio-security‘ needs concerning Avian Influenza may be assessed and strengthened in the respective zoo(s),” the notification read.
Published – January 05, 2025 03:08 pm IST
