Rare virus kills African elephant inside Delhi Zoo

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 mysterious 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,” Delhi Zoo director Dr Sanjeet Kumar told The Indian Express.

“There have been some cases previously found in European zoos and other zoos globally. Generally, it infects pigs, but a wide variety of zoo animals can be affected, including big cats and several lesser-known species,” Dr Kumar added.

Findings show that African elephants are particularly susceptible to the virus. It is said to be transmitted via food or water contamination caused by feces or urine of a rodent species. The tragic death of Shankar had triggered sadness among animal activists and lovers. He was among the two African elephants that were brought to India in 1998, but his companion died in 2001.

Shankar was shifted to a new enclosure in 2012 and was left alone in solitary confinement. He remained there until he died in 2025. Now there is only one African elephant left in India at Mysore Zoo.

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