CHESTER MP Chris Matheson has praised Chester Zoo for its “pioneering research” which is aiming to develop a vaccine for a deadly virus that is threatening the survival of Asian elephants globally.

The MP for Chester visited the zoo’s team of elephant experts and Jamie Christon, the zoo’s CEO, to see at first-hand the ongoing efforts to find a safe and effective vaccine for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) - a devastating disease that is proving a major threat to the long-term future of the already endangered species.

Recent estimates suggest just 40,000 Asian elephants remain worldwide, with reports of wild elephant fatalities at the hands of the disease on the rise in India, Nepal, Myanmar and Thailand. Cases have also been recorded in five further countries across the species’ native range, as well as in zoo conservation breeding programmes worldwide.

Conservationists say a vaccine is the best hope to finding a long-term solution to tackle the devastating disease. Scientists at Chester Zoo, in partnership with virology experts at Surrey University, are leading the search on behalf of the international conservation community, with the world’s first trial of a potential vaccine now under way.

Mr Matheson said: “Chester Zoo is not only a major asset for the city of Chester and the wider North West in terms of the profile and benefits it brings to the region – it’s a world-leading centre for scientific research and plays a major role in preventing the extinction of countless species.

“The work the zoo and its partners are doing to try to find a solution for the global EEHV crisis - a devastating disease affecting Asian elephants everywhere - is truly pioneering.

"The vaccine trial its teams of dedicated experts now have under way is a major step in the right direction and, while no one is getting carried away just yet, there’s real optimism that they’re on the right track towards finding a solution. It was a privilege to witness the work that’s going on at close quarters and seeing the skill, dedication and innovation among the teams working on this important project fills me with hope that the Asian elephant may have a brighter future.

“This really is world-leading conservation in action, taking place right here in the heart of Chester.”

Backed by more than £250,000 in public donations, the charity zoo has long been at the forefront of the fight to find a solution to the global EEHV crisis and efforts to develop an effective vaccine that can be rolled out worldwide. To donate to the ongoing research, visit https://www.chesterzoo.org/what-you-can-do/campaigns/never-forget/