HANOI: Forty-seven tigers, three lions, and a panther have died in zoos across South Vietnam due to the H5N1 bird flu virus, state media reported on Wednesday.
The deaths occurred in August and September at My Quynh Safari Park in Long An Province and Vuon Xoai Zoo in Dong Nai, near Ho Chi Minh City, according to the official Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
Testing conducted by the National Centre for Animal Health Diagnosis confirmed that the animals succumbed to the H5N1 type A virus. The zoos have refrained from commenting when approached by AFP. VNA reported that no zoo staff who had close contact with the affected animals exhibited respiratory symptoms.
Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV), a wildlife conservation NGO, stated that as of the end of 2023, there were 385 tigers living in captivity in Vietnam. Approximately 310 of these are housed in 16 privately owned farms and zoos, while the remainder are in state-owned facilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated an increase in reports of deadly influenza outbreaks among mammals, including H5N1, since 2022. H5N1 infections in humans can vary from mild to severe and can be fatal in some instances. Vietnam notified the WHO of a human fatality linked to the virus in March.
In 2004, numerous tigers died or were culled at Thailand’s largest breeding farm due to bird flu.
