Symptoms of COVID-19 in big cats at Miller Park Zoo and a local surge in coronavirus cases in the community have prompted officials to indefinitely close the zoo's Kattehoefer Animal Building.
The Katthoefer Animal Building closed last month when a Sumatran tiger and four snow leopards began showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus and later tested positive.
The big cat exhibit at a central Illinois zoo is reopening after five animals had COVID-19. A tiger and three snow leopards appear to be fully recovered at Miller Park
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (AP) - The big cat exhibit at a central Illinois zoo is reopening after five animals had COVID-19. A tiger and three snow leopards appear to be fully recovered at Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington, while another snow leopard might not appear for a few more days. The exhibit will open again Wednesday after closing in November. It's unclear how the cats became sick; zoo staff have tested negative for COVID-19. Zoo superintendent Jay Tetzloff says many people and agencies helped take care of the sick cats over the last month.
Five big cats at the Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington are showing signs of COVID-19, the city said Tuesday, prompting the closing of the Katthoefer animal building after one Sumatran tiger and four snow leopards developed coughs and raspy breathing.