Mourning for elephant jungbulls Otto: Herpes alarm in the Hellabrunner Zoo!

Mourning for elephant jungbulls Otto: Herpes alarm in the Hellabrunner Zoo!

In the Hellabrunn zoo in Munich, the events around the herd of elephants overturn. The Leipzig Zoo recently announced the locations of the elephant Rani and Savani to Munich. The two elephant ladies had to leave their herds in Leipzig and have now found a new home in the Bavarian Zoo. Thanks to the caring support from the Hellabrunner team, Rani and Savani have settled in quickly and enjoy their new elephant life. The zoo already has high hopes for future young people, which only reinforces the anticipation of further elephant visits, such as Thuringia 24 reported.

But the joy in Munich is overshadowed by a severe stroke of fate: The four and a half year old elephant bull Otto was diagnosed on June 14th with the dangerous herpes virus EEHV 1. This disease is often fatal for young elephants, which meant that an emergency program was initiated in the zoo to take care of Otto around the clock. Hellabrunn informs that Otto showed signs of exhaustion and discomfort in the days before his death. Despite intensive treatment and constant accompaniment by veterinarians, he died on June 16 what the entire team and the elephant group shook deeply.

The risk of elephant herpes

elephant herpes is an urgent problem that occurs not only in zoological gardens, but also in the wild. The herpes virus often only affects specific animal species, with Asian elephants being particularly susceptible. The Type 1 virus, which has affected Otto, has already led to numerous deaths in young animals worldwide, explains an analysis on VET-Magazin. In Hellabrunn everything is done to prepare the elephants for this threat as best as possible. Through regular medical training and diagnostic routines, the animals are checked for possible health risks, including the implementation of a new vaccine.

A central component of the treatment of the diseased otton was the administration of blood plasma of his father Gajendra, which is considered the decisive part of the therapy. Unfortunately, Otto had not developed its own antibodies, which also made his situation critical. It is also emphasized that young elephants under the age of six no longer have a maternal virus protection, which makes them particularly at risk.

The grief for Otto

The loss of Otto is a hard blow for the team of the Hellabrunn zoo. Animal park director Rasem Baban expressed his grief about the loss of the young elephant and explained the effects on the group and the care staff. With elephants it is common for you to say goodbye to the late members of your group, which Rani and Savani also do with Otto.

The tragedy and serious dangers associated with the elephant herpes infection make it clear how important regular examinations and quick measures are in zoos. The public is kept up to date with all developments, including a soon-to-be podcast episode via elephant herpes. The hope of further elephant young people in the endeavor to maintain the image of joy and hope in the Hellabrunn zoo.