Just as Canada begins offering fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccines for humans, some zoo animals are getting their first shots.
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo said it received vaccinations this week and began inoculating some of their furry inhabitants.
Two western lowland gorillas, a snow leopard, two tigers, a Bactrian camel and some lemurs were the first of 66 animals to get their first shots.
They’ll be vaccinated three times, with a refresher vaccine in a year. All the animals that will be vaccinated were selected based on a risk-benefit analysis by the zoo’s animal care, health and welfare team.
In preparation for the vaccinations, vets have been refreshing their animals’ injection training so the animals can participate in their health care.
For animals that don’t have injection training, they have created detailed plans to provide them with vaccine protection.