Chester Zoo was devastated to announce the death of the three-year-old Asian bull Hari Hi Way which came just six weeks after that of female Bala Hi Way as reported in Express. Regarless of best efforts of the teams involved in his care, his condition deteriorated and he died late Tuesday afternoon.
Many animal rights campaigners oppose breeding of elephants in captivity as this deprives animals of the opportunity to satisfy their most basic needs. The zoo spokesperson confirmed that Hari Hi Way was found positive for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), identified in both the victims. EEHV is a fast-moving virus which affects both wild and captive elephants between the ages of two and five years old.
"There is currently no vaccine against EEHV, although research is ongoing.
"Chester Zoo's veterinary and keeping staff carries out daily blood testing of the elephant herd and, as soon as the first traces of EEHV were detected in both Bala and then Hari, the teams began early treatment using anti-viral medication. Sadly though, both treatments ultimately proved to be unsuccessful.
Despite the report in 1995 of more than 50 documented deaths from the virus across North America and Europe which linked elephants in captivity, Uk zoo experts have presented that EEHV strikes animals both in the wild and in confinement while the causes are still unidentified.
"This virus that kills elephants is predominant in the captive herd. It has a long history of causing mortality. If you keep breeding elephants, you run a high risk of them dying between the ages of two and five,'' said Chris Draper of the Born Free Foundation. "It is a moot point whether the virus is found in the wild. But even if that's the case, it seems to have a far greater impact in captivity."
