No chance for animals

Virus infection wipes out entire herd at Schönbrunn

Five bison have died at Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna due to a possible infection with a sheep herpes virus. The zoo announced this in a post on Facebook on Wednesday. After internal deliberations, the last remaining bison, a young animal, also had to be euthanized.

This means that the zoo no longer has any specimens of the wild cattle. "We deeply regret the loss of these magnificent animals," it said in the post. Initial pathological results would indicate a corresponding disease.

Transmission from the petting zoo?
"The Ouessant sheep from the petting zoo are a possible carrier", it was further explained. In this context, the zoo explained that the possible sheep herpes virus is not transmissible to humans. It was emphasized that keeping the bison calf alone would not have been justifiable for animal welfare reasons and due to the legal framework.

"Due to a possible infection, the animal could not have been given to another bison farm," the zoo wrote in the social media post.

Zoo fights against the spread of the virus
Zoo experts are currently working to prevent further infections. "In the next few days, the Ouessant sheep from the petting zoo are to be handed over to suitable keepers." In principle, any flock of sheep can be carriers of the sheep herpes virus.

The sheep themselves would not fall ill, but could transmit the virus to bison and other cattle, among others, where the disease is usually fatal. "The rapid release of the sheep is intended to minimize the risk of further infections," the zoo emphasized.