LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Zoo officials said its 3-year-old elephant, Fitz, took a turn for the worse Friday night and died while receiving treatment for a deadly virus.
Fitz had been under treatments in an effort to save his life after he was diagnosed with elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). The zoo said that's a type of herpes virus.
Zoo Director Dan Maloney said Monday that staff fired noticed signs of trouble last Sunday. A blood sample was taken and sent to a lab, and treatment started just a few days later.
"Our team worked extraordinarily hard to try to save little guy," Maloney said Monday. "EEHV this virus can be really aggressive."
On Friday, the elephant was tired but had been standing and eating earlier in the day. However, his condition worsened Friday evening. Zoli Gyimesi, the senior veterinarian at the zoo, said the virus is common in adult elephants and believes that's how Fitz was exposed.
"Punch and Mikki (the zoo's other two elephants) no doubt have some of these EHP strains latent or dormant in their system," Gyimesi said. "And, periodically, they shed that from their trunk or saliva. That's how younger elephants get exposed."
Since Fitz's death, there has been an outpouring of sympathy and support from the community.
"He's always put on a really big show and was fun to watch," Maloney said. "I think the guy's departure leaves a big hole."
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