Staff Reporter
Ponda
Forest officials on Thursday said that the Bondla zoo, which was temporarily closed to visitors following a viral outbreak among some animals, will reopen only after a second round of animal testing is conducted after April 15, with results expected by April 20.
Goa’s only zoological park, located inside the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, was closed following the deaths of three civet cats and two jungle cats between March 6 and 9 in the outbreak. The official quarantine order was issued on March 30 after one jungle cat tested positive for the virus, and the zoo gates were shut from April 1.
Forest officials said that biosecurity protocols will remain in place till the test results are received. Staff dealing with the affected animals have been instructed to follow strict safety measures.
Senior forest department officials said that out of four civet cats and seven jungle cats, five animals died in quick succession between March 6 and 9. Zoo authorities immediately began implementing precautionary measures, including isolating the affected enclosures and restricting public access to those areas.
Tests were subsequently carried out, with one jungle cat testing positive for the virus, while others were found negative. As per Central Zoo Authority (CZA) guidelines, the zoo was placed under quarantine, and entry for visitors was suspended. All zoo staff were tested, and their results were negative, officials said.
CZA mandates a 15-day observation and quarantine period if more than one animal dies. Since the outbreak, zoo authorities have enforced stringent biosecurity measures, including relocating vulnerable animals and equipping staff with protective gear such as face masks.
“We had sent samples of the affected animals to a Bhopal-based laboratory to ascertain the nature of the viral infection, and the reports were received after almost a week. The next round of testing will be conducted on April 15, and based on those results, a decision on reopening will be made,” a forest official said.
Officials said there have been no further fatalities since the initial outbreak. One surviving civet cat, which had been in critical condition, has shown significant improvement in recent days.
While the zoo remains closed, other sections of the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, including trails for birdwatching and trekking, remain open to visitors.
