SEDGWICK COUNTY — After two weeks of treatment, a 12-year-old African elephant at the Sedgwick County Zoo is healthy again.
Zuberi is still receiving anti-viral medication and zoo officials are keeping a very close eye on her just to be sure she continues to do well. The rest of the herd is still testing negative for any EEHV infections, according to a social media report from the zoo.
EEHV stands for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus. It is a hemorrhagic disease that mainly affects elephants under the age of 15 and can be fatal in severe cases.
EEHV is one of the most deadly viruses for elephants worldwide, both in the wild and in human care. There is no vaccine for EEHV, nor is it preventable. Check out our previous posts for details about Zuberi's treatment.
Last Thursday the zoo reported Zuberi’s bloodwork showed that she had almost no EEHV remaining in her body. She was acting much more like herself, interacting with keepers, participating in training, eating more, and even taking some of her medications orally.
Because EEHV infections affect the blood cells, there are some residual conditions that Zuberi is still being treated for.
After 9 days of intensive treatment and lost sleep, zoo keepers were thrilled to see Zuberi going for a swim in the canal that day as revelaed on the zoo's elephant cams. She was quickly joined by 3 other elephants for some much-needed fun in the sun.
On June 16, the team at the zoo worked together to position Zuberi for a plasma transfusion procedure.
The tethers on her legs serve many purposes, both to ensure her safety and the safety of the people caring for her. They are put on after she is sedated and removed before she wakes up.
Team members use the ropes to help position her legs, and Lauren and Micaela encouraged Zuberi to take a small step back with her front legs so she'll be perfectly stable for the procedure.
Over the next few days and weeks, zoo employees will continue to monitor the herd and are prepared for possible future EEHV infections, but at the moment they are celebrating.