A twelfth monkey has died at a Hong Kong zoo, with checks underway to find out whether or not it succumbed to the identical bacterial an infection that has killed 11 different monkeys previously 10 days.
De Brazzà’s monkey had been remoted since October 13 when the primary eight deaths had been reported.
Autopsies discovered massive portions of sepsis-inducing micro organism that seemingly got here from contaminated soil close to the primate enclosures, authorities stated.
Workers digging the soil close to the cages had been believed to have launched contaminated soil by means of their footwear, Hong Kong’s tradition, sports activities and tourism secretary advised native broadcaster RTHK.
The threat of the an infection spreading to people is “pretty low,” stated Dirk Pfeiffer, a veterinary epidemiologist on the City University of Hong Kong.
He added that soil contamination is commonly underreported in Asia, however “it’s at all times regarding if a number of mortalities all of the sudden happen in captive animal populations the place this has by no means occurred earlier than.”
The 11 monkeys beforehand discovered useless embrace critically endangered cotton-capped tamarins, in addition to white-faced sakis, frequent squirrel monkeys and a De Brazza monkey.
Authorities stated they died from melioidosis, an infectious illness that may unfold by means of contact with contaminated soil, air or water.
It is brought on by Burkholderia pseudomallei, a pressure of soil-dwelling micro organism endemic to tropical and subtropical areas.
The twelfth monkey died Tuesday, and preliminary outcomes indicated that it additionally had “comparable lesions … in its organ tissues,” officers stated.
While authorities stated the well being of the zoo’s remaining 78 mammals was “regular,” the mammal part has been closed since Oct. 14 for disinfection and cleansing.
The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens are the oldest park within the metropolis and are situated within the middle, spanning 14 acres.
Animal rights group Peta stated it was involved concerning the threat of zoonotic illnesses reminiscent of monkeypox, which might unfold from animals to people.
“The solely method to make sure the emotional and bodily well being of animals and stop additional deaths and the unfold of zoonotic illnesses is to cease imprisoning them for ‘leisure’ and as an alternative concentrate on defending their pure habitats,” Abigail Forsyth, advised the BBC Peta marketing campaign supervisor. .
The first report of melioidosis in Hong Kong dates again to the mid-Seventies, when 24 dolphins all of the sudden died from the illness at Ocean Park, a theme park.
