Visitors arrive in huge numbers at Alipore Zoo in Kolkata on December 14, 2025. | Photo credit: ANI
Amid fears of a possible Nipah virus threat, bats at Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo are undergoing RT-PCR testing to rule out infection, an official said on Saturday (Jan 24, 2026).
A team from the National Institute of Medical Research collected blood and swab samples from bats at the zoo for over two days and left soon after completing the process, a senior official of the state forest department said.
“The team took swab samples from the bats. They followed all protocols during the process,” Alipore Zoo Director Tripti Sah said.
According to a forest department official, sampling at the zoo took place on Thursday (January 22, 2026) and Friday (January 23, 2026) and ended before the zoo gates opened for visitors at 9 am.
Two health workers at a private hospital in Barasat in North 24 Parganas district tested positive for the Nipah virus this month.
Nipah virus is a notifiable disease which requires immediate notification to the Union Government.
Incidentally, in an effort to trace the potential source of the Nipah virus, RT-PCR tests are being conducted on bats in various parts of West Bengal.
Bat populations in Madhyamgram, Barasat and Basirhat were recently sampled. Alipore Zoo remains the only facility in Kolkata to have a bat enclosure, prompting health authorities to include it in the surveillance unit.
The testing is jointly conducted by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the supervision of the Health Ministry with logistical support from the Forest Department.
‘Due process followed’
West Bengal Chief Wildlife Warden Sandeep Sundriyal said the process was carried out as per due process.
“Capturing bats requires prior permission from the forest department. The health department has sought permission, which we have granted,” Mr. Sundriyal said.
“Expert teams are visiting areas where bats are found across the state and collecting samples. The same process has been followed at Alipore Zoo,” he said.
The officer added that preventive measures are already in place at the zoo. The zoo management has taken advanced preventive steps. There is no need for immediate panic,” he said.
Test results are expected in the coming days, a senior health ministry official said.
“Whether the bats at Alipore Zoo are completely safe will be known when the test reports come in,” a health ministry source said.
Meanwhile, an expert team is scheduled to visit Nadia district on Saturday (January 24, 2026) to collect bat samples as part of the ongoing nationwide Nipah monitoring exercise.
Published – 24 Jan 2026 21:34 IST
