Miami gorilla tested for coronavirus after fight with brother

A gorilla has been swabbed for coronavirus after getting into a nasty fight with his brother at a zoo earlier this week.

A gorilla in a Miami zoo has been tested for coronavirus after getting into a fight with his brother earlier this week.

The 31-year-old lowland gorilla Shango was tranquillised and transported to the animal hospital after he suffered several wounds while fighting with his 26-year-old brother Barney last week.

The 196kg gorilla had been protective of his right arm after the fight where he’d suffered a bite, leading his keepers to believe he needed an examination.

Shango was X-rayed and given vaccinations, an ultrasound, a test for tuberculosis and a bronchoscopy, according to CBS Local Miami. During the round of preventive tests, the vets detected that Shango had a low grade fever, and so he was also tested for COVID-19.

Shango was tested for coronavirus after getting into a fight with his brother at a Miami zoo. Pictured: Shango the gorilla Picture: Ron McGill/Splash

Shango is swabbed for coronavirus. Picture: Ron McGill/Splash

The number of coronavirus cases has been exploding in Miami. In the Miami-Dade county there have been more than 64,000 cases of coronavirus, and the state of Florida has had more than 270,000 cases of the virus, and has reported more than 55,000 of those in just five days.

Tests revealed Shango did not have coronavirus, luckily.

Shango and his brother Barney were both born at the San Francisco Zoo and were transferred to the Miami Zoo in 2017.

Fights between male gorillas are somewhat common but because of the animal’s strength and size, the two brothers have been temporarily separated while they assess his healing.

Shango recovered well from his anaesthesia.