DHENKANAL: Ending suspense over reasons behind the death of a four-year-old elephant calf at a rescue centre in Kapilash on Thursday, Centre for Wildlife Health (CWH) in OUAT vets confirmed that the jumbo was infected with Elephant Endotheliotripic Herpes Virus (EEHV).
The calf, named Hero, suddenly collapsed and died without any noticeable symptoms. DFO Prakash Chand Gogineni said the other five elephants at the center have been administered the antiviral drugs to check the spread of the deadly infection.
“We will send blood samples of the remaining five every three days to keep a track of any infection building up,” added Gogineni. EEHV had claimed the lives of at least five jumbos, including four in Nandankanan, in the State in 2019.