Saint Louis Zoo vaccinating at-risk animals for COVID-19

The Saint Louis Zoo has vaccinated its first animal as it moves to protect its most at-risk animals from COVID-19.

A male chimpanzee, Jimiyu, 29, received his first dose of Zoetis’ COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday morning.

Zoetis, a global animal health company headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the distributor of the vaccine, has donated 11,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to dozens of zoos and animal organizations across the nation.

Luis Padilla, vice president of Animal Collections at the Saint Louis Zoo, said in a release that no animal has tested positive for COVID-19, though cases have emerged at other zoos.

In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine, the chimpanzee received other vaccines during a regularly scheduled veterinary exam, according to the release.

Jimiyu is recovering well in a private area at the Jungle of the Apes habitat, and no adverse side effects are expected, according to zoo veterinarians. He will be monitored, however.

According to a release, the zoo plans to administer the two-dose COVID-19 vaccine over the next few months in a staged roll-out to almost 100 primates, big cats, river otters, painted dogs and bat-eared foxes.

The animals carry a potential risk of being infected by the coronavirus. Doses are given three weeks apart and full vaccination is reached two weeks after the second dose.

The Saint Louis Zoo is home to over 12,000 animals, representing 500 species. The zoo attracts approximately 3 million visitors annually and is the most-visited attraction in the region.

This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 11:31 AM.