UpdatedThu, Mar 4, 2021 at 6:00 am PT
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After a troop of gorillas at the San Diego Zoo in Escondido, California, tested positive for COVID-19, four orangutans and five bonobos were given shots of an experimental vaccine developed for animals. (Handout photo/San Diego Wildlife Alliance)
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA Great apes are a lot like us or, rather, because they came first in our evolutionary journey, we re a lot like them.
We share the same bone structure and the same internal organs. The genetic difference between our species is minuscule; our DNA is about 97 percent similar. We get many of the same diseases.
We re not the only apes who can catch COVID-19
The San Diego Zoo said it believes two gorillas were exposed by an asymptomatic staffer. A local primatologist said this is alarming and is concerned about the potential consequences if the virus continues to spread to animals like gorillas.
and last updated 2021-01-12 18:29:09-05
A pair of gorillas at the San Diego Zoo on Monday became the latest non-human animals to test positive for COVID-19, joining a list that includes tigers, lions, snow leopards and domestic dogs and cats.
San Diego Zoo officials believe the gorillas caught the sickness from an asymptomatic zookeeper, even though all zookeepers wear protective gear around the animals.