otter have join the ever - develop list of animals known to be susceptible to the coronavirus behind covid-19 . Over the weekend , officials at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta reported that several of their otters became crazy with respiratory symptoms and screen overconfident for SARS - CoV-2 . gratefully , all are expected to recover with no long - term complications .
The decision to test the fish tank ’s Asian low - taloned otter for the computer virus came after they start show symptoms such as sneeze , coughing , and fluid noses . The fish tank ’s veterinarians also reached out to state vet and the department of health for their advice . But though the otter are older , and therefore more at risk for serious illness from infection , they seem to be doing just fine . At this point , it ’s surmise that an symptomless doer transmitted the virus to the animate being .
“ Our Asian small - clawed otters are under very snug monitoring by veterinarians and animal care team members . They have displayed only mild symptoms and we expect them all to make a full recovery , ” said Tonya Clauss , frailty chairman of fauna and environmental health at Georgia Aquarium , in astatementreleased Sunday by the aquarium . “ We are providing supportive caution as needed so they can eat , rest and recover . ”
A juvenile Asian small-clawed otter at the Singapore Zoological Garden on 6 March 2025.Photo: Roslan Rahman (Getty Images)
This does look to be the first love case of otters contracting the coronavirus , but it ’s not too surprising that it ’s potential . Several other mammalian are bed to have gotten infected through contact with humans , includinggorillas , dogs , cats ( domestic andbig ) , and minks . mink coat in particular are in the same family as otter , a group call Mustelidae .
Unlike other animals , though , mink seem to be particularly vulnerable to infection , with the computer virus having cause aggregate outbreaks anddie - offson farm . These outbreaks , and the risk of mutated song circulating back and forth between mink and humans , prompted commonwealth include Denmark to pluck their farmed mink populations to stem the computer virus ’s spread — a decision that did n’t gosmoothly .
The otter at the Georgia Aquarium pose no endangerment to people , officials have said . They ’ve never been in verbatim contact with the viewing public to begin with and have been pulled from public video display for the clock time being . Out of an “ copiousness of forethought , ” all workers in link with the otter have been essay for infection as well , but the danger of human - to - animal - to - human being transmission of the computer virus is conceive to be low .
AnimalsCOVID-19
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