A tragic and unprecedented loss
At the National Zoological Park, Delhi, the only African elephant in its collection, a 29-year-old bull known as Shankar, has died — and a post-mortem report reveals the cause as the rodent-borne virus Encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), marking what officials describe as the first such recorded case in an Indian zoo. Shankar died on 17 September 2025 after suddenly collapsing in his enclosure. Officials said he showed mild signs of reduced appetite and loose stools, but no major distress prior to his collapse.
Background on Shankar and his life in captivity
- Shankar was brought from Zimbabwe in November 1998 as a diplomatic gift to then-President Shankar Dayal Sharma.
- He had been the sole African elephant at the zoo since the death of his companion in 2005.
- Reports raised concerns over the past years about his solitary confinement and welfare, including the zoo’s membership suspension by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in 2024.
The virus and its implications
EMCV is a rare virus that typically affects pigs and is carried by rodents; it can infect a wide variety of mammals, including zoo animals. In elephants, it causes inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) and can result in acute cardiac failure — often with few overt symptoms.
“As the post-mortem showed lesions in his heart and haemorrhages typical of viral injury, lab tests ruled out TB, anthrax, FMD and classic heart disease,” said a senior scientist involved in the autopsy.
Challenges in management and prevention
- Zoo officials acknowledged rodent control as a major challenge within open enclosures. “The elephant enclosure is open, and though food scraps are minimized, rodents roam, and EMCV can transmit via contaminated food or water from rodent droppings.”
- There is no vaccine for EMCV available for elephants, and the disease progression is rapid, with little visible warning ahead of collapse.
- Animal welfare groups say the previous concerns over Shankar’s long-term isolation and care regime may have increased his vulnerability.
Wider significance and what’s next
Shankar’s death raises several significant issues:
- It underscores the need for stringent bio-security in zoo environments — rodents and wildlife vectors remain a hidden risk even in captive settings.
- It highlights welfare concerns for large solitary animals in captivity, especially ones without species companionship or proper enrichment programs.
- The zoo administration has ordered an inquiry into the circumstances around Shankar’s death, prompting potential changes in enclosure management, veterinary protocols and rodent control programs.
The takeaway
For nearly three decades, Shankar stood as the lone African elephant at the Delhi zoo — a living symbol of diplomatic goodwill, but also of the complex challenges of zoo management in India. His death from a rodent-borne virus is a tragic reminder of how in captive wildlife care, unseen threats can prove fatal. As the zoo reflects on this loss, the hope is that lessons learned will strengthen care for all animals, big and small, and prevent such tragedies in the future.
