One of the first shocking deaths due to a rodent-borne virus has been reported at the National Zoological Park in Delhi. A 29-year-old male lone African elephant, Shankar, was killed on September 17 by the rare encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). According to autopsy reports from Bareilly’s Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), the elephant tested positive for the virus. It died after spending 13 years in solitary confinement.

EMCV attacks the heart and can lead to brain fever in mammals. It spreads via rodent feces/urine and also causes sudden death. The 29-year-old bull elephant was brought from Zimbabwe in 1998. It was gifted to former Indian President Shankar Dayal Sharma. “It was positive for EMCV. It is a very rare disease. It is an acute disease with no visible symptoms,” Del

See Full Page