Chester Zoo confirms tragic death of young elephant Riva

The zoo announced that the four-year-old Asian elephant named Riva unfortunately died last week.

Previously, Riva's mother, Sundara Hi Way, died in the zoo in July from the effects of an illness.

Sundara died at the zoo earlier this summer. (Image: Chester Zoo)

The zoo said a routine blood test on Wednesday, August 21, revealed “abnormalities” that caused concern to keepers. It was urgent that this be investigated quickly and thoroughly, but during another routine diagnosis, Riva heartbreakingly died under general anesthesia.

The zoo said its teams tried everything possible to resuscitate her, but tragically nothing could be done. They are now awaiting the results of a series of tests which they hope will reveal more about the exact cause.

The zoo said that due to the number of tests being conducted and their specialization, it may take some time before there is complete clarity about what happened.

Jamie Christon, the zoo's CEO, said: “It's really hard to find the right words – we are deeply saddened to have lost Riva. She was a very special elephant who was loved by so many and she will be missed very much.”

“Our condolences go out to our wonderful elephant and veterinary teams who cared for Riva day in and day out. Her loss is so difficult to cope with and is deeply felt not only here but throughout our conservation community as this is a huge blow to the protection of endangered Asian elephants. We are devastated by this news.”

Asian elephants are listed as endangered on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. In the wild, they are severely threatened by poaching, habitat loss, conflict with humans and disease.

Chester Zoo has a long-standing commitment to the conservation of Asian elephants, both within the zoo itself through its successful endangered species breeding program, and in the wild, where it is a key driving force in supporting vital conservation efforts across India.