Forty-seven tigers, three lions, and a panther have died in southern Vietnam zoos due to the H5N1 bird flu virus, state media reported on Wednesday.
The fatalities occurred between August and September at the privately-owned My Quynh safari park in Long An province and the Vuon Xoai zoo in Dong Nai, located near Ho Chi Minh City, according to the official Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
Test results from the National Centre for Animal Health Diagnosis confirmed that the animals were infected with the H5N1 type A virus, VNA reported. Both zoos declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
No zoo staff who were in close contact with the animals had reported any respiratory symptoms, VNA added.
Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV), an NGO dedicated to wildlife conservation, noted that as of the end of 2023, there were 385 tigers living in captivity across Vietnam. Of those, around 310 are housed at 16 privately-owned farms and zoos, while the remainder are in state-owned facilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has observed a rise in reports of deadly outbreaks among mammals caused by influenza viruses, including H5N1, since 2022. The WHO has also warned that H5N1 infections in humans can range from mild to severe, and in some cases, can be fatal.
Vietnam reported a human death from the virus to the WHO in March.
In 2004, dozens of tigers either died from bird flu or were culled at the world’s largest tiger breeding farm in Thailand.