Kansas City Zoo African elephant recovers from life-threatening illness

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - At the Kansas Zoo and Aquarium, Zuri, a 14-year-old African Elephant, is recovering after falling ill with a strain of the life-threatening elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV).

Treatment for Zuri began on Feb. 28, when the animal care and veterinary health staff first found that Zuri’s blood levels showed an active level of a virus.

EEHV can be found in African and Asian elephants across the globe. It can be found in both the wild and in human care. EEHV is a naturally occurring hemorrhagic infection with many strains. There is currently no vaccine for EEHV. Zuri was especially susceptible to the strain she caught, which is known as EEHV3.

The KC Zoo & Aquarium welcomed two African elephants in October 2023. Christie, 37, and her daughter, Zuri, 14, coming from the Hogle Zoo in Utah. The elephants were brought to KC based on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for African elephants. This helps ensure the genetic diversity of the species. Mom and daughter joined the seven other African elephants already at the KCZoo, including six females and one male.

Animal care specialists and veterinarians from both the Hogle Zoo and KCZoo began working together six months ahead of the transfer to make the move as smooth as possible for the elephants. The thought of contracting EEHV was discussed as Zuri would be susceptible due to her age. While some antibodies to the strains of EEHV can often occur naturally in elephants, Zuri had no antibodies to the strain she contracted. Other elephants at KCZoo, including her mom, did have antibodies.

READ ALSO: K-State erases 10-point halftime deficit to beat Texas, 78-74

“EEHV is a devastating virus for elephants, so we are incredibly grateful to have this positive outcome with Zuri,” said Sean Putney, executive director and CEO of Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium. “It’s not just a win for us but for this endangered species as a whole. Hopefully, some of what we’ve learned will help other elephants in the future.”

While the move was important for the mom and daughter to join a larger herd and have the opportunity to mate, being prepared for EEHV when Christie and Zuri joined the others was more crucial. With Zuri being more susceptible to an active infection regardless of residency, it was decided that that it would be best to carefully plan to give her the best chance of survival.

Following advice of EEHV experts and in a first-of-its-kind preventative measure, the teams from both the Hogle Zoo and KCZoo worked together to administer two plasma transfusions that could provide Zuri with EEHV3 antibodies to help fight off a future infection. The bull elephant at the KCZoo was the first plasma donor. The units of plasma were hand-carried on a flight from Missouri to Utah to provide Zuri with the ability to fight the infection. Veterinarians and staff from both zoos administered the first transfusion, and the team from the Hogle Zoo administered the second transfusion from a cross-matched donor one week following.

Both transfusions were a success and were able to provide Zuri with significant detectable levels of antibodies to EEHV3. While levels had somewhat decreased, a significant level persisted for 16 weeks. The KCZoo stored more than three days worth of plasma in case there was an additional need.

Once the mom and daughter duo arrived in KC, animal specialists from Hogle Zoo stayed to help in a successful transition of care. Training and relationship-building between the elephants and the care-specialists is crucial to their health care so this was vital. Christie and Zuri were both trained for many behaviors allowing for regularly scheduled for trunk washes, thermographs and blood samples. These tests would quickly alert veterinary health teams to concerns.

A preventative thermal imaging on February 24 showed Zuri’s temperature had increased 10 degrees, She had not shown any other symptoms, so daily blood samples were taken. February 28 is when previous blood results showed she was infected with EEHV3 and treatment had begun. Oral medications, oral fluids and transrectal fluids were all utilized, along with a transfusion of previously frozen plasma provided by an elephant at the Dallas Zoo. The hope was to give Zuri extra antibodies so that her body could help fight the virus.

The following day, her platelets had decreased, so fresh plasma from an elephant at Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita was administered to Zuri alongside antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and rectal fluids. The amount of fluids required to treat an elephant makes intravenous fluids impractical, so rectal fluids provide an effective and safe method to provide the fluids critical to healing her.

READ ALSO: Search for Riley Strain continues as new investigation begins

The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium is relatively positive that Zuri has passed the worst of the virus and will make a complete recovery from EEHV3. Blood samples show her immune system is continually fighting the virus. Prior to this, Zuri had fought off EEHV2. She has natural antibodies that helped her through EEHV2, similar to humans having antibodies to protect from certain viruses. Zuri also tested positive for EEHV6, but has natural antibodies to fight of that strain.

The other elephants at the KCZoo have antibodies to all the EEHV strains that affect that African elephants. Only one other elephant, Lea, age 45, has shown recent signs to an active infection from EEHV3. Her body was able to combat it with the help of anti-viral medication. Elephants are continuing to be routinely screened and staff are closely monitoring them.

The successful recovery of Zuri shows the incredible care team from the dedicated animal and veterinary care teams from both the KCZoo and Hogle Zoo, and the power of teamwork and careful planning. Many other zoos also helped to save Zuri, from the Dallas Zoo, Sedgwick County Zoo and Seneca Park Zoo answering calls for plasma, to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium and Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute rapidly analyzing blood samples. The North American EEHV Advisory group and numerous representatives across the zoo industry also helped with this case.

“This has been a phenomenal example of working together,” Putney said. “We’ve had amazing support from other AZA-accredited zoos and discussions with elephant advisors and veterinarians across the nation. I am most thankful, though, for our Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium staff, who have been working tirelessly. They have been here all hours of the day and night, traveled to other states, and just gone above and beyond to save Zuri. It’s been an unbelievable effort by all involved.”

Copyright 2024 KCTV. All rights reserved.