Vienna's Tiergarten Schonbrunn Zoo sees bison herd wiped out by herpes virus

Officials at Schoenbrunn Zoo in Vienna, Austria, announced the heartbreaking loss of five bison over the past few weeks in a statement released on October 30.

The last bison, a young female named Calamity Jane in tribute to the legendary Wild West frontierswoman, was reportedly euthanised this week due to the severe impact of a sheep herpes virus outbreak. The virus is reportedly not transmissible to humans. The Ouessant sheep living at the zoo are considered potential carriers of the infection.

The zoo stated: "After discussions with external experts and the resulting internal consideration of animal welfare aspects and infection risks, we had to make the difficult decision to euthanise the remaining bison calf. Keeping the animal 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.

"Our experts are still devoting themselves intensively to this issue and are doing everything in their power to prevent further illnesses. In the next few days, the Ouessant sheep from the petting zoo are to be transferred to suitable homes. In principle, any flock of sheep can be a carrier of the sheep herpes virus.

"The sheep themselves do not become ill, but can transmit the virus to bison and other cattle, among others, in which the illness is usually fatal. "The rapid transfer of the sheep should minimize the risk of further infections."

The zoo concluded: "There are currently no more bison kept at the Schoenbrunn Zoo. We deeply regret the loss of these magnificent animals."

Story: NewsX