Editorial | Lessons to be learned from Hong Kong monkey deaths
Hong Kong authorities have responsibility to exercise greater care after infectious disease claims 12 primates at city zoo
For a zoo that prides itself as an urban sanctuary for wildlife conservation and public education, the Zoological and Botanical Gardens has a lot to answer for after the deaths of 12 monkeys from an infectious disease in just over a week.
Adding to the dismay is the handling of the situation by Hong Kong officials. The government must learn its lesson from this sad chapter and ensure that those under its care are properly looked after.
It began as a mystery when eight animals – a De Brazza’s monkey, a common squirrel monkey, three cotton-top tamarins and three white-faced sakis – were found dead on October 13.
The toll rose in a matter of days and necropsy results showed melioidosis was to blame. Commonly found in soil and muddy water, the bacteria may have been brought into the enclosure by park staff carrying out repair work nearby, according to officials.
Melioidosis is an infectious disease that may affect animals and humans. There were 17 local human infections last year and 19 cases so far this year. The disease has also accounted for animal deaths at Southeast Asian zoos from time to time.
Officials sought to play down the incident, saying proper action had been taken to contain the outbreak.