The Oregon Zoo’s baby elephant, Tula-Tu, has taken sick with elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus, or EEHV.
Young calves are particularly susceptible to the rapidly progressing disease, according to the zoo. Care staff alerted veterinarians of changes to Tula’s energy and behavior on Oct. 24, and vets started treatment even before the disease was confirmed by the lab at Oregon State University.
The Zoo’s director of animal health, Dr. Carlos Sanchez, said early detection is critical and the elephant has remained stable, which is encouraging.
Tula-Tu had been given an mRNA vaccine for the virus earlier this year, but this is a different strain. Tula-Tu’s sibling, another one of Tula-Rose’s calves, died of EEHV in 2018 at age six.
Tula-Tu’s blood samples will be used for further study of the vaccine including in a partnership between OSU and Baylor University.
