Huge concern has been raised for the welfare of the elephant herd at Dublin Zoo, after two elephants died and a third elephant has now also contracted a deadly virus.
According to the zoo, the elephants are now under a 24/7 watch to ensure they are cared for to the highest standard.
The EEHV virus has already killed two eight year old elephants at the zoo in recent weeks.
Today the zoo announced that a third elephant, aged 17, had now also caught EEHV.
“Being older, her body has had more time to develop antibodies to fight the infection, potentially giving her a greater chance of survival,” the zoo said in a statement.
“Our dedicated veterinary team is working tirelessly to provide Asha with the best possible care, and we are closely monitoring her condition.”
“Currently, the other elephants in our herd are not showing signs of EEHV, but we are closely monitoring their health.”
The zoo also said that they were hopeful of a positive outcome in this third case, as the affected elephant is older and also had the virus detected earlier.
They have also reassured the public that there is no possibility of this virus infecting humans as it is not transferable.
