Delhi's lonely African elephant Shankar was killed by rare rodent-borne virus

Shankar, a 29-year-old male elephant, died in September after spending much of his life in isolation.

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Shankar, a 29-year-old male, died on 17 September after spending much of his life in isolation. The cause of his death wasn't known at the time.

Now, an autopsy has revealed that the elephant tested positive for encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), Delhi Zoo director Sanjeet Kumar said.

EMCV is known to cause fatal inflammation of the heart and sometimes brain fever in mammals. The virus is spread through rodent faeces and urine.

Most outbreaks of EMCV have been associated with captive animals in pig farms, primate research centres and zoos, according to the MSD veterinary manual.