Zoo announces death of beloved 3-year-old elephant Fitz after battling virus

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE/Gray News) - A zoo in Kentucky says its beloved 3-year-old elephant named Fitz has died after a brief battle with a deadly virus.

According to the Louisville Zoo, Fitz was recently diagnosed with endotheliotropic herpesvirus, also known as EEHV.

The virus aggressively affects blood cells and there is currently no vaccine against it, the zoo said. Survival rates are around 20-30%.

Officials at the zoo said their elephant care staff noticed signs of lethargy in Fitz last weekend. A blood sample was sent in that confirmed the virus, and preventive care began.

However, Fitz’s condition took a turn for the worse on Friday and he died during his nighttime treatment.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of elephant Fitz,” Louisville Zoo Director Dan Maloney said. “Fitz held a special place within our entire extended zoo family. His presence at our zoo touched the hearts of our members, patrons and our entire community.”

Officials said EEHV is one of the more serious medical issues facing wild elephants and researchers are working to learn more about the virus.

According to the zoo, it is harder for weaned calves like Fitz to fight the virus because they no longer receive the antibodies from their mother’s milk.

The zoo said he was routinely monitored and tested for signs of EEHV since there is no vaccine and no known prevention.

Fitz was the offspring of 37-year-old elephant Mikki. The zoo said Mikki appears to be behaving normally and will be monitored for any changes.

“Fitz’s impact will live on, along with his memory, in the hearts of all who encountered him. He will be deeply missed,” Maloney said.

Fitz would have turned 4 years old on Aug. 2.

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