http://www.elephants.com/media/SunNewsAlberta_11_2_08.htm

Disease Claims Baby Elephant

Original Article

Sun News Alberta
November 2, 2008

CALGARY -- Staff at the Calgary Zoo are mourning the loss of Malti, a female elephant calf who lost her battle against a rare but deadly disease yesterday.

Malti, who turned a year old in August, died from a condition called elephant herpesvirus that sickened the calf last week.

The young pachyderm woke up from a nap shortly after 2 p.m. yesterday and then collapsed, said zoo spokesman Laurie Herron.

"It is truly like losing a member of our family - everyone who works here is truly devastated," she said.

MOM ABLE TO SAY GOODBYE

Herron said Malti's mother, Maharani, was able to spend time with the youngster after she passed away. "The adult elephants had an opportunity to say goodbye to her - that was pretty tragic, too," she said.

Malti's passing is the latest in a string of animal deaths at the zoo in recent years.

Four years ago, Maharani rejected a calf named Keeyama which was suffering from a digestive infection and later died, while four gorillas have died since 2004.

A hippo from the Denver Zoo died last October after a controversial 28-hour delivery to Calgary by truck, and this past May, 41 of 43 cownose stingrays died.

BROUGHT JOY TO THE ZOO

Meantime, staff are remembering little Malti for the joy she brought to both visitors and zoo workers.

"Elephants are special. They are so intelligent and interactive with people," Herron said. "They adored her - she certainly brought a lot of joy to people."

She recalls the first time visitors got a glimpse of the young calf. "They were crying then and are crying now," she said. "She was absolutely perfect, it's heartbreaking."

Also heartbreaking is the toll the virus that killed Malti has taken on the endangered animals, said Cathy Gaviller, the zoo's director of conservation, research and education.

The disease has killed nearly a dozen young North American elephants in the past 20 years.

http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20081102/CGY_malti_dies_081102/20081102?hub=Calgary

Calgary Zoo in mourning day after baby elephant's death
Updated: Sun Nov. 02 2008 21:39:49

ctvcalgary.ca

The Calgary Zoo is hoping to learn more about the tragic death of baby elephant Malti. They're performing a post-mortem exam on the 15-month old after she died from a rare, but deadly, disease called elephant herpesvirus.

Zoo spokesperson, Laurie Herron, says everyone at the zoo is in mourning and they're all trying to come to terms with the death of their baby elephant.

"Everybody is still in a bit of shock."

Malti was precocious and playful and had been thriving at the zoo, but the young elephant died Saturday afternoon, less than a week after contracting the deadly elephant herpesvirus. A blood test Friday confirmed Malti had the disease. Only four elephants are known to have survived after contracting herpesvirus. It's believed Malti contracted the disease from one of the adult elephants, who can carry the disease without ever displaying symptoms or getting ill.

Herron says Malti's mother Ronnie, who shunned her at birth, lingered close to the room where Malti died.

"She sort of started a moaning sound that they hadn't ever heard her do before, so I think she was very connected to the baby, more than we gave her credit for being."

On Sunday, the day after Malti's death, flowers and notes were left by zoo visitors, like Michelle McQuade.

"I had to tell my daughter because her school is quite active in saving animals, and she had felt so sad, and the mom felt so sad. And that's what I said to her, it's always harder for the mommy because they don't have their babies around."

Herron says the zoo hopes a lengthy autopsy will provide answers about the rare disease that attacks an elephant's blood vessels.

"They'll be doing everything they can to try to make this mean something, so Malti's life isn't in vain, and whatever they learn might save another elephant."

But the death brings breeding programs under scrutiny. This is the second elephant calf to die at the Calgary Zoo. Both babies were born to Ronnie. She rejected both of them at birth. Dozens of stingrays mysteriously died in May, and a 22-year old Western Lowland Gorilla was euthanized after he developed an inflammatory intestinal disease.

Michael Alvarez-Toye, with the Calgary Animal Rights Coalition, says changes need to be made.

"Our view is that the breeding programs in zoos are usually subject to a lot of failure. They don't accomplish what they set out to do."

Still, many people, like zoo visitor Sherry Saelhof, think the breeding programs are important.

"I really do hope they keep trying. It would be very disappointing not to have them here."

The zoo says it's too early to speculate whether Ronnie will be impregnated again. Right now they want more answers about Malti's death.

The veterinarians who are performing the post mortem exam on Malti will hold a news conference on Monday to report on their findings.