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Rare Virus Claims Life of Isolated African Elephant in Indian Zoo
5 Nov
Summary
- African elephant Shankar died of rare rodent-borne virus EMCV
- Shankar lived alone in Delhi zoo for over a decade after companion's death
- EMCV can infect wide range of animals, causing sudden heart and brain inflammation
In a tragic turn of events, an African elephant named Shankar, who had been living in isolation for over a decade at a zoo in India's capital Delhi, passed away last month due to a rare rodent-borne virus. According to the autopsy report, the 29-year-old elephant died from the encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), a disease that can infect a wide range of animals and cause sudden death due to heart and brain inflammation.
Shankar was originally brought to India in 1998 as a diplomatic gift from Zimbabwe. He had been living alone since his companion died in 2021, and despite efforts to integrate him with Asian elephants, the arrangement did not work out. Authorities had previously said Shankar showed mild symptoms like reduced appetite and loose stool on the day he died, but there were no signs of illness beforehand.
The zoo's director confirmed that EMCV, while generally found in pigs, can affect various zoo animals including big cats. Controlling the spread of the virus through rodents in open enclosures remains a challenge. Shankar's death is the first recorded case of an elephant succumbing to EMCV in India, though officials believe there may have been unreported instances in the past.
