Zoo specialists are conducting an inquiry following the deaths of nine monkeys over a span of two days at Hong Kong’s most historic zoo.
On Sunday, eight of the creatures were discovered deceased, with another passing away on Monday after exhibiting atypical behaviours at the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
Sections of the zoo have been cordoned off and sanitized, with specialists summoned to perform necropsies and toxicological assessments, as stated by Hong Kong leader John Lee.
The deceased included a De Brazza’s monkey, a common squirrel monkey, four white-faced sakis, and three cotton-top tamarins, a species categorized as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Zoo personnel are also keeping a close watch on a De Brazza’s monkey that has shown unusual behaviour, according to government reports.
Meanwhile, all 80 other animals within the gardens are reported to be in stable condition, it added.
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The fatalities have sparked worries regarding a potential outbreak of a zoonotic illness, such as monkeypox, capable of transferring from animals to humans, noted Jason Baker, senior vice president of the animal rights organization PETA Asia.
“Monkeys in captivity frequently encounter pathogens that lead to diseases transmittable to humans, including tuberculosis, Chagas disease, cholera, and MRSA,” he asserted.
Baker emphasized that the only method to guarantee the welfare of animals and discourage the spread of these illnesses is to cease confining them to artificial habitats.
