European elephants 2011

Herpes virus kills elephants in Berlin Zoo
Published: 28 May 11 16:42

It hasn’t been a good year for Berlin Zoo. First celebrity polar bear Knut died suddenly in March, now a baby elephant has succumbed to a virus.

Two-year old female elephant Ko Raya died on Friday, after suffering from a type of elephant herpes. It is the same disease that killed her sister Shaina Pali just eight weeks ago.

Ko Raya had been under the weather for the past few days and on Friday morning she was fell over during a mud bath and died.

“Her mother wanted to get her to stand up,” eyewitness Sigrid H. (75) told mass-circulation paper Bild. “Ko Raya didn’t have any more strength. Suddenly all the elephants started trumpeting together. I think they wanted to call for help.”

Veterinarian Dr. Andreas Ochs explained that although the zookeepers rushed to the elephant, it was too late. “She was already dead.”

The herpes virus can be fatal to Asian elephants and it has already killed two other animals at the zoo over the past few years. “The virus spreads through the blood,” Ochs explained to Bild. “It attacks the internal organs, damaging the liver, intestines and heart muscles.”

Zoo Director Bernhard Blaskiewitz says the staff feel helpless in the face of the deadly disease which has left the zoo with just six elephants. “There is simply nothing we can do.”

Online: Herpes virus kills elephants in Berlin Zoo - The Local
 
Sitara said:
Zoo Director Bernhard Blaskiewitz says the staff feel helpless in the face of the deadly disease which has left the zoo with just six elephants. “There is simply nothing we can do.”

Online: Herpes virus kills elephants in Berlin Zoo - The Local
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If there is NOTHING you can do, then maybe you should stop breeding your elephants. There are zoos in the U.S. who have successfully treated calves infected with EEHV1 with success, namely Saint Louis.
 
St. Louis sucessfully treated ONE sick calf (Jade) and another one who had positive blood tests (Mahila), but no actul signs of the disease. A lot of other calves in the US treated with the same drugs that worked on Jade died, despite the treatment.
 
Maung Htoo from Sevilla has left for Romanche in France. (why there I wonder?)
And Euan from Whipsnade has arrived at Sevilla.
 
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jwer said:
Maung Htoo went to the Touroparc Romanèche in France to replace their previous bull Kali who died in march 2011
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My bad Romaneche in in France!. I was aware the Kali died, but I curious why they felt the need to replace him, it isn't a breeding facility, and just out of curiosity why Maung Htoo specifically?
 
Probably because the EEP needs all the room for bulls they can find...

Why Maung Htoo, I don't know. Was he the oldest at Sevilla? Perhaps he was the "loneliest", fitted least into the group, or they expect him to get along with the ladies there best?
 
Emmen Zoo, The Hollands. Bull Radza has been fallen in the dry pitch. Seems to be wounded. Unsure how he can get out of it.
 
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