Shigella Infection That Killed 3 Apes Poses ‘No Threat’ to Public: Jacksonville Zoo

A Shigella infection that killed three apes at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in Florida poses “no threat to the public,” staff members said on Aug. 28. “The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens remains a safe place for all of our visitors,” said Jeff Ettling, the zoo’s president and CEO, while delivering an update on the situation to the press. The zoo first reported the death of Bulera, a 35-year-old female western lowland gorilla, on Aug. 23. Three days later, the deaths of brother bonobos Jumanji and Jenga were announced. The source of the infection is unknown, though zoo staff say it may have originated from an asymptomatic ape or, less likely, a staff member....