Dublin Zoo has reported the death of seven-year-old elephant Zinda due to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV). This follows the recent death of another elephant, Avani, on 1 July from the same virus.
“Despite receiving round-the-clock care from our dedicated veterinary team and international experts, Zinda’s condition deteriorated,” the zoo said in a statement.
“EEHV is an unpredictable and fatal virus affecting young elephants both in the wild and under human care.”
Zinda’s death followed an “unprecedented effort” to save the creature’s life, involving multiple governments, An Garda Síochana, and a zoo in Britain. Dublin Zoo mentioned that “both the Irish and UK governments facilitated the urgent importation of vital blood products and other essential supplies from Chester Zoo”. This was done to provide “the antibodies and help fight the infection”.
A special thank you went to An Garda Síochána, who escorted the blood products from Dublin Port to the zoo, it added.
Dublin Zoo expressed profound gratefulness to Chester Zoo for “their unwavering support during this critical time”, and said that the support and advice from international veterinary and elephant communities was “extraordinary”.
No other elephants in the herd are showing signs of EEHV, and staff are closely monitoring their health. Notably, EEHV poses no health risk to humans.
The zoo said its EEHV response plan will remain in place to protect the other members of the elephant herd.
“The quick progression of the virus in Zinda underscores the challenges of managing this disease, even with the highest standards of care and vigilance,” the zoo commented.
Global efforts are ongoing to develop an EEHV vaccine, with zoos and wildlife researchers across the world described as tireless in their efforts. Dublin Zoo affirmed its “commitment to the well-being of our elephants remains steadfast, and we will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure their safety”.
“We deeply appreciate the messages of support we have received from the public during this incredibly challenging time,” it said.