Taronga has announced the devastating loss of young elephant Tukta to EEHV. The Australian elephant population had gone so long without a loss to this virus, which has taken the lives of so many young elephants overseas. Taronga Zoo Sydney
That’s devastating news. Gutted that EEHV is the cause of death. Tukta was one of the few females successfully bred in the regional breeding program so far.
Absolutely gutted. I agree @WhistlingKite24, she was one of four females bred in this region leaving Mali and the recent Kanlaya. EEHV is something that is rarely seen in Australasia. Hopefully they can find a cure for this virus to save more innocent elephants. Many condolences with the Taronga team and RIP Tukta
Heres an article about Tukta’s death from the Taronga website: TARONGA MOURNS LOSS OF TUKTA Still very devastated
I can't believe this... this is absolutely devastating!!!! I was under the impression that EEHV wasn't present in the Australian Asian elephant population but sadly that's no longer true. This is an absolutely devastating blow to the Australian Asian elephant breeding program as Tukta was only a few years away from being reproductively viable and her genetics were extremely important to the population. May you rest in peace knowing you were loved by all who knew you Tukta November 2, 2010 - September 3, 2018
This is devastating news for Tukta's herd, the staff that care for them, the breeding programme and the thousands of fans touched by this amazing animal. Like @Elephant Enthusiast, I hoped the Australasian population would remain free from the EEHV which has plagued European and American Zoos. Of course, the concept of a contaminated facility (or a non contaminanted facility) is a myth. Most experts believe the virus relies dormant in the majority of captive Asian elephants (and are more interested in how and why it becomes activated). Still, I was only thinking recently how the three eldest calves at Taronga were almost out of the woods, since it is most prevalent in 1-4 year old calves. I have since learnt that while this is the most common age of mortality due to this virus, elephants are still vulnerable up to the age of 8. In some ways, this makes Tukta's death even more devastating, knowing she was so close to being out of the at risk age range and that her next phase of life - motherhood, will forever remain just out of reach.
I’d wrongly assumed that the oldest calves were already out of the danger period. It’s just devastating, no other word for it.
Because of EEHV never occuring in the Australasian region i never really assumed that our baby elephants would succumb to this horrible disease. But now i know you can never underestimate EEHV.
It was almost like the EEHV (and mortality) wasn't an assumption in breeding decisions like it is in some UK Zoos. All three Taronga Zoo females who have bred, have had 7-8 age gaps between their calves, based on the expectation of all of these calves surviving and requiring placement. A stark contrast to females like Thi Hi Way at Chester Zoo, who had produced 9 calves to date (almost back to back), with many losses within her herd of young calves to EEHV sadly requiring this level of breeding to sustain the population, or rather this level of breeding being allowed as a consequence of the mortality of previous calves (as devastating as this is).
Until I read up on it more today, I was previously under the illusion of the concept of contaminated facilities/herds and wrongfully assumed that the herd of Taronga was unaffected. If anything, I considered the ones that were sent to Taronga Western Plains Zoo to have been more at risk as that zoo was also home to other elephants (of unknown EEHV status), they hadn't previously been exposed to. Shortly after Tukta's birth, Pak Boon tested positive for TB. It was believed this virus had lain dormant in her body for years and was activated by the physiological stress of birth. I wonder if this played any role in Tukta's immunity or lack of immunity to EEHV.
According to this site: Tukta the endangered elephant dies suddenly at Sydney zoo after contracting herpes virus A zoo spokesman told AAP that Jai Dee is being given preventative antiviral treatment while the other two elephants at Taronga are not susceptible because of their age.
The fact that this horrid disease has taken one of the region’s precious few FEMALE calves just makes this news even harder
Lets hope that, if not already the case, this is incentive enough to start a regular monitoring program in all Australasian herds. Whilst no doubt very costly, its my understanding that in the USA this has been critical to the outcomes of the few known cases of infected juveniles surviving.
That's a good idea. I believe the Chester Zoo (who have suffered many losses), now have a weekly or fortnightly procedure of doing mouth swabs on the calves to ascertain their health. Luk Chai (9 years old) is now out of the high risk age group, and Mali and Pathi Harn (both 8 years old) are very close.
The remaining elephants in the Australasian region who are prone to EEHV are: Mali(F)- b 16/1/2010 Pathi Harn(M)- b 10/3/2010 Man Jai(M)- b 8/12/2013 Sabai(M)- b 2/11/2016 Kanlaya(F)- b 14/6/2018 As @Zoofan15 said Mali and Pathi Harn( both turning 9 in early next year) are nearly out of the high risk group. Man Jai is half way through the high risk group, while Sabai and Kanlaya are both in the early stages.
Although a few months late, I thought this was newsworthy. A great conservation effort. Yellow-spotted bell frog back from the brink BY AG STAFF | MARCH 23, 2018 Keepers from Taronga Zoo have released 200 juvenile yellow-spotted bell frogs into the wild. THE CRITICALLY endangered yellow-spotted bell frog (Litoria castanea) has narrowly escaped extinction thanks to a successful breeding program at Taronga Zoo. Thought to be extinct from the wild for 30 years, a small population of the frog was later discovered near the town of Yass in NSW back in 2009, from which an insurance population was collected by the zoo. Since then, the small population of frogs has bred tadpoles that have metamorphosed into 250 healthy juvenile frogs. Yesterday, with the assistance of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Taronga released 200 of these juveniles back into the area they were found, in a bid to re-establish wild populations. “With so few animals to work with, breeding has proved difficult and several different strategies have been implemented in the attempt to get the last of the species to reproduce,” said Michael McFadden, Supervisor of Taronga’s Herpetofauna Department. (Image Credit: Taronga Zoo) Michael credits the success of the breeding program to his team’s ability to replicate the frog’s natural habitat at the zoo. “November is the peak of their breeding season and several of the males began calling, which is the strongest indication we have ever had that they might breed,” Michael said. “We were thrilled when we noticed that a couple of females had laid eggs in the pond underneath some vegetation in two distinct egg masses. “We are very pleased to report that a significant proportion of the eggs have developed into juvenile frogs.” Like many of Australia’s native frogs, the yellow-spotted bell frog populations crashed following the arrival of chytrid fungus, which transmits disease by releasing zoospores that attack the keratin in frog skin and halts the flow of electrolytes.
Difficult to find any numbers, but this paper from 2012 says that "the number of frogs in the rediscovered population is estimated to be 100". Myxozoan Parasite in Brain of Critically Endangered Frog
