• The Association was on the lookout  for information relating to spreading of the COVID virus among lions  
• Earlier, an eleven-year-old lion, ‘Thor’, which was gifted by a zoo in Seoul in 2013, was found positive for the COVID virus

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama  

A lioness at the Dehiwala Zoo was found to have tested positive for COVID-19, the State Veterinary Surgeons’ Association-Sri Lanka Secretary Dr.Nuwan Hewagamage said.  

He stated that the 12-year-old lioness ‘Sheena’ tested positive for COVID after medical tests were performed following another lion tested positive recently.  

He said their Association was on the lookout  for information relating to spreading of the COVID virus among lions.   
“We found that the Management and the Administration of the Zoological Department had given instructions to their employees to continue with their work by adhering to the health guidelines issued by the Veterinary Surgeons,” Dr. Hewagamage said.  

“Earlier, an eleven-year-old lion, ‘Thor’, which was gifted by a zoo in Seoul in 2013, was found positive for the COVID virus, becoming the first known case of an animal contracting it in the country. The lion, however, has since recovered due to effective  medical treatment,” he said.