Scientific research shows respiratory illnesses are one of the main causes of death for primates. In turn, when COVID-19 started to sweep the globe, many primatologists were concerned it could significantly impact the primate population.
In February 2021, a great ape at the San Diego Zoo was the first primate to get the COVID-19 vaccine after it came out. More zoos are doing the same, including, more recently, the North Carolina Zoo.
Friday morning, the North Carolina Zoo tweeted they started vaccinating its animals against COVID-19.
“Humans and primates are susceptible to many of the same diseases, including coronaviruses,” NC Zoo tweeted.
The zoo credited the great bond between the primates and the keepers as to why the animals willingly gave them their arms for the vaccine.
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