The North American EEHV Advisory Group is an excellent resource for information and assistance. Their mission is to disseminate knowledge of current best practices for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of EEHV. The EEHV Advisory Group also provides private and public elephant-holding facilities with technical assistance and facilitates research by building international collaborations. The EEHV Advisory Group consists of individuals that focus on guiding the group’s mission, veterinary care, elephant management, research, pathology, public relations, education, and international liaisons. There are parallel regional working groups in Europe, Thailand, Asia, and Africa. These groups are an indispensable resource when faced with treating an elephant with EEHV.
WHAT WE’RE DOING:
Our vision is a world where no elephant dies from EEHV. We are working against the clock to save elephants, both in our country and around the world.
By advancing research and best practices for EEHV disease prevention and treatment, we are providing hope and a path forward for elephants and the people who care for them.
WHY IT MATTERS:
There are forty-two African elephants in the US who are vulnerable to death or illness from EEHV.
There are thirty-four Asian elephants in the US who are vulnerable to death or illness from EEHV.
These 76 elephants are the future of our herds in the United States, and their survival is critical to having healthy elephants on our continent for generations to come, for our children and grandchildren to cherish, just as we do.
But that is not all. By learning to protect elephants under our care, we are unlocking the key to protect elephants globally from EEHV disease.
Free ranging elephant populations in Africa and across Asia are fragmented and are negatively impacted by human activities, habitat loss, and climate change. As these iconic herds become more isolated from each other, herd immunity from EEHV disease will decrease, and these majestic giants will be more vulnerable to death or illness from EEHV. The work we are doing today helps to lay the groundwork for understanding and preventing EEHV disease in our remaining herds of free ranging elephants across the planet.
A Critical New Chapter in Elephant Conservation
Drawing support from zoos across AZA, the Houston Zoo and Baylor College of Medicine will work to develop a vaccine that targets the two deadliest strains of EEHV affecting African elephant calves.
Houston Zoo, Baylor College of Medicine, and Dr. Paul Ling have led the charge in innovation, research, and fundraising, all in partnership with AZA facilities that have provided numerous samples and participated in vaccine trials for Asian Elephants. Now, AZA facilities will have the opportunity to support a new effort to expand this vital protection to African elephants.
This 4-year, $1.3 million initiative is focused on the creation and testing of vaccines for African elephants, with specific goals including preclinical testing, expansion of research capacity, and post-vaccination monitoring. Houston Zoo is seeking committed partners, within the AZA community and beyond, to help realize this ambitious but achievable goal. Look for upcoming communications from Houston Zoo CEO, Lisa Peterson, and COO, Lisa Marie Avendano.
New Paper: Nature Communications about the Chester/Surrey vaccine
A safe, T cell-inducing heterologous vaccine against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus in a proof-of-concept study (Oct.3, 2025)
