The Vuon Xoai Ecotourism Site in Dong Nai's Bien Hoa City announced on October 1 that 17 Bengal tigers and a panther died at their zoo in the past three weeks.
"We've taken animal samples for testing and investigation and conducted disinfection in their area," the tourism site's management board said. "We've also reported the situation to concerned authorities and agencies."
The Bien Hoa City Animal Health Department has examined two dead tigers here and found that they had died from pneumonia.
In August, the Vuon Xoai Ecotourism Site announced that five new tiger cubs were born to two mother tigers at their zoo, raising the total number of Bengal tigers at their site to 52.
My Quynh Zoo in the neighbouring province of Long An also reported the death of 27 tigers and three lions between August and September 16. Three tigers had earlier been brought from Vuon Xoai. Initial investigations showed that many of them tested positive for the H5N1 virus.