Vietnam investigating the death of dozens of tigers and lions from bird flu

An outbreak of the H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu, has killed 47 tigers, three lions and a panther at two private zoos in southern Vietnam, state media reported.

The deaths, which occurred in August and September, have raised concerns about both the loss of animals and the potential risk of contagion. The affected parks are My Quynh Safari Park in Long An province and Vuon Xoai Zoo in Dong Nai, both near the country’s economic capital Ho Chi Minh City. According to the National Animal Health Diagnostic Centre, the felines died due to infection with the H5N1 type A virus, as confirmed by the official Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

State of bird flu outbreak

So far, no human infection has been reported in connection with this outbreak and zoo staff have not shown respiratory symptoms related to the virus. Despite this, health authorities have taken precautionary measures, such as temporarily closing zoos to prevent the possible spread of the disease.

This virus, which usually affects birds, has shown an increasing ability to infect mammals in recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. Since 2022, there has been a worrying increase in outbreaks of avian influenza among mammals, which has put authorities on alert. Although the virus is less common in humans, the WHO has documented that infections can range from mild symptoms to severe and even fatal conditions. In March of this year, Vietnam reported the death of one person due to H5N1.

Vulnerability of captive tigers

Vietnam is home to around 385 captive tigers, of which about 310 are in zoos and private farms, according to data from the wildlife conservation NGO Education for Nature Vietnam. The outbreak highlights the vulnerability of captive felines to zoonotic diseases, and authorities in the country are working to prevent the situation from worsening.

This outbreak is not the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. In 2004, an outbreak of bird flu affected dozens of tigers at what was then the world’s largest tiger breeding farm in Thailand, forcing the animals to be culled to contain the spread of the virus.

The current situation in Vietnam is once again raising questions about biosecurity measures and animal welfare at zoos and breeding centres in the region.