In Tamil Nadu, Elephants Are Being Tested For COVID-19 After Nine Lions Tested Positive In A Zoo

On Tuesday, June 8, 2021, the Tamil Nadu Forest Minister ordered that captive elephants, including semi-wild elephants, at the Theppakadu Elephant Camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve would be tested for COVID-19.

The testing of the semi-wild elephants came only days after nine out of eleven lions in the zoo at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) near Chennai tested positive for coronavirus.

At the zoo in Vandalur, near Chennai, a lioness from the herd of 11 caged lions died of the illness.

Nasal and anal samples were gathered from 28 jumbos including 2 calves and 26 adults in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and the elephant camp, according to officials. These samples will be transferred to a veterinary testing facility administered by the government in Uttar Pradesh.

The officials stated that no symptoms were detected in the captive elephants, the tests were conducted as a precautionary step.

Meanwhile, Theppakadu elephant camp, which was founded in 1927, is one of the country's oldest. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department manages both the camp and the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. It also supports a diverse range of vegetation and wildlife. Tigers, leopards, Indian Gaurs (bison), and sloth bears all can be found here.

In the dire situation raised due to the second wave of pandemics, all tourist spots, including Mudumalai, are closed due to the ongoing lockdown in Tamil Nadu.