Sick leave for Ragunan Zoo’s inhabitants? Photo: ragunanzoo.jakarta.go.id
Due to the rainy season, there’s no doubt that some of you have had to call in sick with a bout of cold or flu recently. Well, it turns out humans aren’t the only ones affected by the seasonal virus.
Tens of animals in Ragunan, Jakarta’s largest zoo, are at risk of contracting human-like diseases like cold and influenza. Feathered animals are especially vulnerable in this rainy season.
“One or two bird species caught the flu and the cold,” said Marsiwity Gumay, head of the Ragunan Zoo office, as quoted by Warta Kota on Sunday.
“Don’t worry, it won’t spread to humans.”
She said animals exhibiting flu symptoms were quickly given multivitamins to boost their immune systems.
As such, there is currently no need to quarantine any of the sick animals. Exposure to sunlight could also aid in their recovery.
Out of the 2,000 species of animals in Ragunan, 700 of them are birds. Let’s hope the sick birds can quickly recover from the flu so they can give zoo-goers a quacking time in Ragunan.
