SINGAPORE – A trip to the Singapore Zoo is a monthly excursion for Mr Mark Lee and his three children, aged nine months, two years and four.

But he hesitated when he heard that five lions at the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari tested positive for Covid-19.

However, Mr Lee, who is a Friends of Singapore Zoo member, was reassured when Mandai Wildlife Group (MWG) said the World Organisation for Animal Health said there was currently no evidence animals played a role in spreading the virus to humans.

Mr Lee, who is in his 30s and works in business development, told The Straits Times: “We would take the tram around the zoo to see the enclosures, and social distancing measures are always in place.

“There are higher odds of getting the virus from other visitors or in long supermarket queues.”

Four Asiatic lions at the Night Safari and one African lion at the zoo have been infected with the coronavirus, the Animal and Veterinary Service said on Wednesday (Nov 10).

The animals had come into contact with staff from MWG who later tested positive for Covid-19.

The Asiatic lion and African lion exhibits at the Night Safari and zoo will remain closed while the animals rest and recover, a spokesman for the group said on Thursday.

There are five other Asiatic lions and four African lions that are not infected.

Mrs Jamie Ang, 41, a regional marketing director, is also not troubled by the risk of Covid-19 transmission among the staff and animals.

She also holds a Friends of Singapore Zoo membership pass and takes her three children, aged four, six and eight, there every two months.

“I’m a little worried there might be transmission among the zookeepers, but it’s open air and interactions are minimal, so I don’t have any huge concerns,” she said.

The spokesman said three keepers from the Night Safari carnivore section had tested positive and areas accessed by staff who contracted the virus were deep-cleaned and disinfected.

At animal feedings, guests have to sanitise their hands first and keep their masks on throughout, the spokesman added.

MWG’s four wildlife parks are operating at 50 per cent capacity.

The spokesman said there is an average of 1,000 visitors at any one time at the zoo and Night Safari on weekdays, and this goes up to around 2,000 on weekends.

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Booking platforms Trip.com, Klook and Changi Recommends said they did not notice a dip in the number of bookings to the zoo, Night Safari and other wildlife parks under MWG, River Wonders and Jurong Bird Park.

Trip.com and Changi Recommends also did not receive any requests for cancellation of bookings, while Klook’s zoo tickets are open-dated and visitors must contact the zoo to reschedule visits.

But some parents ST spoke to are choosing to play it safe.

Mr Kelvin Tan, 37, who is self-employed in the media industry, is dropping plans to take his two children, aged two and seven, to the zoo during the school holidays.

“My children are young and unvaccinated, so I try to avoid any areas with potential Covid-19 spread. The fact that the lions caught the virus from a zookeeper is worrying, as we could come into contact with the keepers as well,” he added.

Instead, Mr Tan is planning to take his children rollerblading at an estate park near his home, to let them get some fresh air and exercise.

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Food and beverage supervisor, Cherry Le, 38, is also sticking to outdoor activities such as cycling in the park.

Her 10-year-old daughter caught the Covid-19 bug two months ago, and she has been careful not to take her two children to crowded places. Her son is 13.

“We’d rather wait a while, maybe a few months, to see if it’s safe to go to the zoo,” she said.

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