A highly infectious virus and bacteria affecting the respiratory system have led to the deaths of dozens of tigers at an animal park in Thailand. Photo / Mladen Antonov, AFPA highly infectious virus and bacteria affecting the respiratory system have led to the deaths of dozens of tigers at an animal park in Thailand. Photo / Mladen Antonov, AFPA deadly virus and bacterial infection have killed at least 72 tigers at a private animal park in Thailand’s north in recent weeks, authorities said. The provincial livestock office in Chiang Mai said in a statement on Friday that testing detected the highly infectious canine distemper virus as well as bacteria affecting the respiratory system. The park where the deaths occurred, Tiger Kingdom, could not be reached for comment on Saturday.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 21, 2026 12:54 UTC