Herpes Virus Wreak Havoc in Odisha’s Nandankanan Zoo, Two Elephants Die in As Many Days

Bhubaneswar: In yet another sad news, a sub-adult female elephant “Gouri” died of suspected Herpes virus infection at Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP ) here in Odisha last night.

Gouri was rescued from Athagarh Forest Division at the age of two months in 2012.

Expressing grief over the death of elephant Gouri, Forest and Environment minister , Bikram Kesari Arukh said, 4 elephants have died due to ‘herpes’ virus. Other four elephants are healthy. Blood samples from the diseased elephants have been collected and sent to OUAT and lab at Gowhati, Arukh added.

Gouri is fourth victim of the deadly Endotheliotropic Herpes virus (EEHV), who succumbed to it at around 9.50 PM on Friday, taking the elephant death toll in the zoo to four in less than a month.

While, on September 15, Chandan, the only male elephant had died while female elephant Julie breathed her last on August 25. Another elephant Kamala had died a day before yesterday.