Ryan Shea

With how fast it spreads and how easy it is to contract, COVID-19 has proven to be a focal point for worry, as indicated by all the safety precautions the world has had to endure. This is made even more worrisome for the students of Penn State, under the knowledge that Pennsylvania is one of the fastest-growing points for COVID in the entire United States. However, it should be noted that while we humans are victim to be susceptible to the virus, less suspecting creatures aren’t any more lucky than us.

Over in the Barcelona Zoo in Spain, four captive lions have tested positive for contracting COVID-19. The zookeepers say that the reason for them contracting it has yet to be identified, but they were able to pick up on them carrying signs of the virus in the first place. The PR behind the zoo has stated, “The lions were given veterinary care for their mild clinical condition — similar to a very mild flu condition — through anti-inflammatory treatment and close monitoring, and the animals responded well.” It’s interesting to note that progress for recovery had been made, and that the event was more unprecedented than usual.

What noteworthy info can be extracted from this one isolated incident? By far the most useful info to be drawn here is that, contrary to popular belief, animals are susceptible to COVID, and given their intelligence, they’re much less likely to realize just what’s going on once contracted. This makes avoidal of contact even more of a hassle once one realizes that animals typically don’t understand personal space. However, there’s a silver lining to this in how the zookeepers were able to find a treatment method for the lions. If they could catch onto the early symptoms and react accordingly, it’s only a matter of time before these treatment practices carry over to human recovery. The whole situation has high and low aspects to it, but in the long run, the infection of four zoo lions could very well set an example for how humans, especially in dense populations, can find a way to bounce back from such a pandemic.