By Dr. Robin Ganzert. Originally published in The Palm Beach Post.
Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) is a leading killer of the endangered Asian elephant—a majestic creature that can weigh up to 12,000 pounds. Among documented cases, the disease has upwards of an 80 percent fatality rate and is most common in young elephants, threatening the species when animals are at their most vulnerable.
From what scientists understand, the virus lies dormant in most Asian elephants and can flare up without warning. In July, for example, two elephants succumbed to the illness at the Dublin Zoo. But now, thanks to new scientific breakthroughs, the virus may become an illness of the past.
This summer, a bioscience company announced the first administration of a new vaccine against EEHV. The vaccine uses mRNA to create an immune response to the disease in elephant calves which blocks the virus’ entry and attachment to host cells. The medical technology—similar to the vaccines leveraged to fight COVID-19—will hopefully give elephants a newfound resistance to the virus.
It’s a leap forward in our ability to care for animals under our stewardship, and one that is much needed as we confront the sixth mass extinction. Studies show that species are currently disappearing at a pace more than 1,000-times the natural rate of extinction. Other experts estimate one million species are currently on the verge of disappearing forever.
Human behavior is a big factor in the concerning trend. With the march of commercial and residential development, few truly wild habitats are left. Fragile ecosystems are being destroyed and species are forced into smaller and smaller geographic areas. And once there is even a modest chink in the armor of biodiversity, a domino effect is triggered that can lead to devastation.
Fortunately, although human behavior threatens nature, it can also help to save it. Foremost is the role that new technologies can play in protecting vulnerable wildlife. The EEHV vaccine for Asian elephants is far from the only breakthrough.
Artificial intelligence is empowering conservationists to better track herds of endangered wild animals, giving us a better understanding of their behavior and needs. Exciting new “rewilding” projects around the world are helping to restore habitats with the plants and animals needed to create a healthy ecosystem. And advances in artificial insemination technology are helping to bolster population levels of at-risk species.
Other scientists are hoping to push the envelope even further to foster biodiversity. One company is leveraging advances in bioengineering to enhance the numbers of critically endangered animals, as well as de-extinct species that have already disappeared. Scientists are reconstructing animal DNA and subsequently blending it with close genetic relatives to birth living, breathing creatures. For example, the strategy is currently being explored for the dodo bird.
Conservationists around the world are ignited by a passion for nature and protecting our planet’s biodiversity. We are filled with a deep empathy for all forms of wildlife, and scientific innovations help to turn that empathy into concrete results. More time, energy, and money should be invested into these cutting-edge conservation efforts.
