Snow Leopard at Louisville Zoo Tests Positive for Coronavirus; Two Others Symptomatic

A five-year-old female snow leopard named NeeCee has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Louisville Zoo announced on December 11.

In a statement, the zoo said it was awaiting results for two male snow leopards named Kimti and Meru who are also suspected of having the virus. Like NeeCee, those animals have experienced respiratory symptoms, “including an occasional dry cough or wheeze, within the last two weeks.”

“Their symptoms are very mild, and all three snow leopards are expected to recover,” said John Walczak, Louisville Zoo Director, in this video released alongside the statement.

NeeCee is the latest in a line of big cats to have contracted the virus in the United States. In April, several tigers and lions tested positive at the Bronx Zoo in New York. All of those animals recovered.

Storyful contacted the zoo to clarify Walczak’s statement in the video that “our snow leopards have tested positive for the COVID virus.” Spokesperson Kyle Shepherd told Storyful the zoo did not yet have confirmation at the time of writing that the two males have COVID-19, but the pair had been exhibiting mild symptoms similar to those of the female. They were still awaiting their results, the spokesperson said. Credit: Louisville Zoo via Storyful