Omisa, an eight-year-old Asian elephant, died Sunday night despite being given antiviral drugs and plasma, zoo spokesman Pascal Marty said.
A elephant died of elephantiasis in Zurich Zooless than two weeks after the same virus killed her brother.
Omisa, an eight-year-old Asian elephant, died Sunday night despite being given antiviral drugs and plasma, zoo spokesman Pascal Marty said.
Staff gave Omisha’s mother, Indi, and her sister, Chandra, time to say goodbye to the pachyderm, a very important process for these highly social animals.
Two-year-old Umes, Omisa’s brother, died of the same disease at the end of June.
“It is very sad that Omisa died. Our staff did everything they could but unfortunately they couldn’t save her,” Marti said. “It’s an emotionally difficult time. The staff live and work with the animals, see births and deaths and really get to know each other.”he added.
Almost all elephants are carriers of it elephantiasis in latent form but have no symptoms and the virus is not detected in tests. The disease mainly affects young animals, whose immune systems have not matured enough to produce antibodies. Doctors are examining Omisha to better understand the virus and develop improved treatments.
No further cases of herpes have been detected in the remaining six elephants at Zürich Zoo, but staff are keeping a close eye on the youngest of them, five-year-old Ruani.
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