US: 11-year-old snow leopard dies of COVID-induced pneumonia in Illinois

The COVID pandemic has not only wreaked havoc on human lives, but it has also had serious consequences for the animal kingdom. A snow leopard has died after struggling with COVID-19-induced pneumonia at Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington, Illinois, US. The tragic news was shared on social media by the officials of the Miller Park Zoo, who had earlier informed that snow leopard, Rilu, was "coughing and had a raspy respiration beginning on November 20".

The zoo shared the spectacular tale of Rilu's life, who produced seven offspring. He was filmed in Joel Sartore’s project The Photo Ark and his picture got featured on the Empire State Building in New York.

"Rilu arrived at the Miller Park Zoo in 2011 from the Oklahoma City Zoo. During his time here, he produced seven living offspring that are now part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP). He made the Miller Park Zoo one of the leading institutions in the world in producing snow leopard cubs," read the post shared by Millerparkzoo on Instagram. "Rilu's personality and beauty will be missed by guests and staff, but he will not be forgotten," it further read.

Meanwhile, photographer Joel Sartore also expressed his grief over Rilu's death. "We are very sad to share the news that Rilu, an 11-year-old snow leopard, has died from COVID complications," he said and emphasising the need for vaccination he added, "Snow leopards are proving extremely susceptible to the disease, and it’s often fatal. If you haven’t received a vaccination and a booster yet, please do so. It’s more than just human lives that are at stake."

Other cases of animals getting infected with COVID-19

Cases of animals getting infected with coronavirus have been a regular occurrence. Recently, two hippos tested positive for the COVID-19 virus at a zoo in Antwerp, Belgium. A month ago, it was reported that three snow leopards had died due to COVID-19 related complications at the Lincoln Children's Zoo in Nebraska. According to the World Wildlife Fund, not only are snow leopards an endangered species, but they are also vulnerable to many diseases. The main threats to snow leopards' survival are habitat loss, climate crisis, and hunting.

Earlier, in December, three snow leopards died of complications related to coronavirus at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo in Nebraska. Earlier, in July, zoo authorities in Oakland and Denver decided that they would vaccinate tigers, bears, and other mammals with at least two shots of the COVID vaccine. In March 2021, zoo authorities in San Diego administered the COVID vaccine to gorillas. 

(Image: @Millerparkzoo/Instagram/Pixabay)