Melbourne zoo’s nine-year-old elephant Man Jai has died after a sudden sickness.
The Asian elephant was identified with an incurable illness on Monday after his keepers seen his lethargy and swelling in his neck.
He obtained antiviral therapies for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus however his well being quickly declined and he died within the early hours of Thursday morning.
“Man Jai was playful, joyful and adored by his herd and all who knew him,” the zoo’s director Sheri Horiszny mentioned.
“We’re deeply affected by the lack of such a spectacular elephant, and we are going to all miss him a lot.”
The sickness is one which solely impacts elephants, each within the wild and in zoo care.
Most Asian elephants naturally carry a pressure of the virus however it usually lies dormant with no signs.
Often the dormant an infection can reactivate and is normally deadly in younger Asian elephants.
Man Jai was throughout the susceptible age vary for the illness.
Zoo employees will monitor the remainder of the elephant herd, who’re additionally grieving, and the zoo’s elephant path is closed to guests.