In what has come as a bit of a surprise to medical professionals and the general populace worldwide, a tiger at New York’s Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The tiger is said to have contracted the disease from a caretaker who was asymptomatic at the time.

The Wildlife Conservation Society that runs the city’s zoo said in a statement that the four-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia along with her sister Azul, two Amur tigers and three African lions had all developed dry coughs and a lack in appetite but are expected to fully recover.

“We tested the cat out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about COVID-19 will contribute to the world’s continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus,” the statement sent to AFP said.

“Though they have experienced some decrease in appetite, the cats at the Bronx Zoo are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers,” the statement added. “It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries.”