Latest news with #EEHV
Axios
2 days ago
- General
- Axios
Columbus Zoo is on baby elephant watch
Talk about big news: For the first time in the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium's history, two Asian elephants are pregnant at the same time — and one is due any day now. Why it matters: The species is endangered, and its population in accredited zoos is currently unsustainable due to dwindling numbers and a lack of genetic diversity, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The calves' father — Sabu, from the Cincinnati Zoo, who lived here temporarily — has no living offspring, so the births will bolster the gene pool. The big picture: The news comes as some zoos are moving away from keeping elephants amid increasing care standards, which require lots of space and expense. Others, like Columbus, are investing more by expanding habitats, encouraging breeding, and working with global partners to conserve wild elephants. Advocates say keeping elephants is important for research and education. A 2023 AZA strategic plan calls for increased collaboration among zoos, including transferring animals for breeding. Threat level:"If we don't do something as a group, we're not going to have elephants in 100 years," says Adam Felts, senior zoo curator and head of the AZA's Species Survival Plan. At last count, there were 157 Asian elephants in 27 AZA institutions. Zoom in: Felts took Axios behind the scenes to meet 38-year-old matriarch Phoebe, who is expecting her sixth calf. She's "all business," with a big appetite. The 7,400-pound pachyderm calmly used her trunk to funnel biscuits into her mouth while a veterinarian scanned her with an ultrasound probe. Her calf is likely the size of a Great Dane. It's impossible to see the entire thing in one image, but vets can view ribs, a skull or a beating heart. All appear healthy. Another elephant, 16-year-old Sunny, is due with her first calf between now and August, while Phoebe is due in the fall. Keepers hope the experienced mom will show Sunny the ropes. They're encouraged by her bond with Phoebe's 3-year-old calf, Frankie, who still lives at the zoo. The arrangement should mimic wild herd behaviors, in which females raise the young together and males are mostly solitary. The intrigue: The new calves will make history in another way, as Columbus' first to be vaccinated for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). The devastating virus is the leading cause of death among AZA elephants, and calves are especially at risk. A vaccine became available last year. What's next: Elephants are pregnant up to 22 months, so expect lots of fanfare when the 200-plus-pound bundles of joy finally arrive. 1 fun prenatal ritual: elephant yoga Impress your friends with this fun fact: the Columbus Zoo's herd is trained in "elephant yoga." How it works: The elephants follow a target and maneuver into various poses, such as stretching their feet and trunks, kneeling, and lying on the ground. Between the lines: Keepers say practicing the moves keeps them limber and engaged. It also helps them learn to get into positions for routine health monitoring, such as blood draws, exams and ultrasounds. 😅 Alissa's thought bubble: I definitely couldn't move as gracefully during my pregnancy as 7,400-pound Phoebe does. Impressive.
Axios
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Trump's next targets: Museums and libraries, including MFAH and Houston Zoo
Museums and libraries in Texas could lose federal support under a Trump administration plan to shut down the agency that funds them. Why it matters: The cultural institutions rely on federal money to meet their mission. Catch up quick: In a March 14 executive order, President Trump named the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as one of seven agencies that should be "eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." Other agencies included in the order are the Minority Business Development Agency and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. The latest: The institute on Monday put its entire staff on administrative leave for 90 days after a meeting with DOGE staff, NPR reported. Follow the money: The IMLS' largest program, called Grants to States, disburses roughly $160 million annually to state library agencies, including $12.5 million in fiscal year 2024 to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). The agency supports public and school libraries and provides reading services for people with disabilities. The federal grant makes up a third of the state agency's total budget. Per a grant request from the state agency reviewed by Axios, the 2024 money was earmarked to improve access for Texans to literacy and workforce readiness, as well as to help train librarians. Asked about the IMLS funding, TSLAC officials directed Axios to a fact sheet detailing uses of the money, showing the funds fully support the state's e-book program for small community libraries and the interlibrary loan (ILL) system. Zoom in: The Houston Zoo was the recipient in 2020 of a $250,000 grant to implement an interpretive plan for the Galápagos Islands exhibit that opened in 2023. What they're saying: "This agency provides essential funding and guidance for the vast collections of museums, including zoos, across America," Houston Zoo President Lee Ehmke wrote in a letter to federal lawmakers, shared with Axios. "Beyond education, museums are economic engines, providing jobs, driving tourism, and serving as community cornerstones. Museums cannot do this vital work without the support they receive from agencies like IMLS." Ehmke also pointed to a 2013 IMLS grant of $459,147 that supported research on Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), helping move vaccine development forward. Other Houston institutions that have recently received grants from the IMLS include: The African American History Research Center at Houston Public Library ($100,000 in 2024) The Orange Show ($500,000 in 2022) The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (about $250,000 in 2021) Friction point: IMLS was established by Congress in 1996 and reauthorized in 2018 by Trump. The agency's governing board issued a letter that explained that IMLS' programs "cannot be paused, reduced, or eliminated without violating Congressional intent and federal statute." Meanwhile, public library advocates have launched a petition to oppose the shuttering of the agency and its services. Between the lines: The elimination of the IMLS could lead to "devastation for museums, libraries and archives everywhere," Gabriel Solis, executive director for the Texas After Violence Project, tells Axios.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Watch Texas veterinarian provide acupuncture to geriatric animals with chronic pain
Humans aren't the only ones who can benefit from acupuncture. So can animals, and a Fort Worth Zoo veterinarian is exploring just how much the alternative medicine technique can improve the lives of the creatures in her care. Sarah Cannizzo, an associate veterinarian at Fort Worth Zoo, is one of only two zoo vets in Texas who is certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society, the society said. In addition to the day-to-day tasks of completing necessary procedures and medical reports, filing prescriptions, and checking in on the zoo's more than 7,000 creatures, Cannizzo works one-on-one with animals who she believes may benefit from specialized acupuncture care. With roots in China dating back more than 3,000 years ago, acupuncture is the practice of inserting needles into specific points of the body to produce a healing response. The practice can stimulate nerves, increase blood circulation, relieve muscle spasms and release hormones, according to the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. Cannizzo received her International Veterinary Acupuncture Society certification in January, but began practicing on some animals in the zoo last year, during her studies. She told USA TODAY that she's worked on rabbits with gastrointestinal stasis − when food and waste in the digestive tract stops − and geriatric animals, like petting zoo goats, experiencing chronic pain. In total, she's conducted acupuncture on about 20 of the zoo's animals, she said. Cannizzo added that she has also had luck with some eye acupuncture, specifically inserting needles around an animal's eye to resolve abnormalities or damage to the cornea. Sometimes, animals that undergo acupuncture are awake for the process and other times they are under anesthesia. Cannizzo said she will only conduct acupuncture to an animal under anesthesia if they are already under for another procedure. She doesn't just put an animal under for acupuncture. Since it's establishment in 1974, the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society has certified more than 5,000 veterinarians around the globe in acupuncture, the society said. Veterinarians are certified for life. Over the last 50-plus years, around 96 Texas veterinarians have received the certification. Acupuncture isn't the only way Cannizzo is helping animals in her care. Last fall, Cannizzo was part of a team of veterinarians and researchers who administered two groundbreaking doses of the elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) mRNA vaccine to a 3-year-old Asian elephant at Fort Worth Zoo named Brazos. Brazos was the first elephant in history to receive a new, experimental vaccine, developed by Paul Dalling Ling at Baylor College of Medicine, without having elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus antibodies, according to Fort Worth Zoo. Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus can be extremely fatal for young Asian and African elephants, primarily under the age of 8, Cannizzo said. About 65% of elephant calves in human care who contract elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus die, according to a 2021 report published by Virology Journal. More: International Women's History Month 2025: How it started and why it's so important Elephant calves receive endotheliotropic herpesvirus antibodies from their mothers but after a year or two, the antibodies wane, meaning the calves are unprotected, Cannizzo said. Early last year, Cannizzo said, Ling approached her about administering a new vaccine he was working on to Brazos. After months of paperwork and approvals, they received the greenlight. Brazos received his first dose in August 2024 and then a second dose a few weeks later. Today, Brazos is doing well, Cannizzo said. The zoo conducts weekly blood tests to monitor him for any sign of the virus. Though Cannizzo is making waves in veterinary medicine, she didn't always have her eyes set on working with animals. Originally from Massachusetts, Cannizzo initially studied folklore and mythology at Harvard before obtaining her Master's in Irish heritage management from the University of College Cork in Ireland. For the first few years of her career, Cannizzo worked as a business consultant, thinking she would eventually transition back into heritage world museums or heritage sites. "But instead, I got this idea that I wanted to be a zoo vet," she said. "I'd been in school for so long. I was like, 'No, I just need to get a job.' Then it just kept coming back to me that I really wanted to be a zoo vet." Just shy of celebrating her 30th birthday, Cannizzo found herself in veterinary school. She studied at the University of Pennsylvania, interning at Angell Animal Medical in Boston, primarily working with domesticated cats and dogs, and an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited drive-thru safari in Oregon. She then completed her residency at North Carolina State University before landing her current role at the Forth Worth Zoo. She's been at the zoo for over seven years. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Acupuncture for animals? Watch Texas vet administer the therapy
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Eek, It's a Woolly Mouse! The First Step in Reviving a Prehistoric Mammoth Starts with Adorable Rodent (Exclusive)
Scientists at the Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences have taken a big step towards their goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth by creating what they've dubbed Colossal Woolly Mouse "I'm excited," Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer at Colossal, tells PEOPLE of the new mice, which have been genetically modified to have woolly mammoth traits 'In the next six months, we'll see if our woolly mice are actually happier in cooler environments, which is the predicted effects of these changes,' she adds Behold, the woolly mouse. Scientists at the Dallas-based Colossal Biosciences have taken a small step towards their goal of bringing back the woolly mammoth: Colossal Woolly Mouse. "I'm excited," Beth Shapiro, Chief Science Officer at Colossal, tells PEOPLE, explaining that this is "really our first validation" that they actually can create living animals that have been genetically modified to have woolly mammoth traits. "It's the first time that we've succeeded," she adds. Like woolly mammoths, these mice have curlier hair — which is the same color of the mammoth mummies found in the permafrost — as well as a gene that should impact the way their bodies metabolize fat. To be clear, there was not a prehistoric, or even historic woolly mouse. But, in order for the scientists to prove they were on the right track in the quickest possible time, they chose to perform the experiment with mice rather than actual elephants — which are the closest living relative to the woolly mammoth. 'Elephants have a 22-month gestation and then it takes another decade to reach sexual maturity," explains Shapiro, who pointed out that that's a "long time" to wait to see if their experiment would in fact lead to elephants having a woolly coat. 'It doesn't make any sense," she adds. But since mice only have a 20-day gestation, that made them a more ideal choice. A unique feature of the mammoth are clumps on their back filled with fat to help keep the animal both insulated and energized during long, frigid months in largely barren landscapes. The Colossal woolly mouse is the first living animal engineered to express multiple cold-adapted traits using mammoth gene orthologs (genes in different species that evolved from a common ancestral gene and normally retain the same function). As such, they represent a living model for studying cold-climate adaptations in mammals. 'In the next six months, we'll see if our woolly mice are actually happier in cooler environments, which is the predicted effects of these changes,' Shapiro says. According to Colossal, their efforts — which ideally will result in creating a hybrid species that's virtually genetically indistinguishable from woolly mammoths — could also lead to breakthroughs in the fight against elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses. EEHV is a highly-dangerous and fatal condition that wreaks havoc in young Asian elephants. In addition to the mammoth, Colossal is working on two other "de-extinction" projects: bringing back the Dodo and the Thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger. Along with Shapiro, Anna Keyte, who is leading the Dodo efforts, and Sara Ord, who is heading the Thylacine project, say it's difficult to explain to their families exactly what they do for a living. But they try to put it into terms that allow people to understand this is more than just making a real-life Jurassic Park or creating a new exotic pet. Right now, Keyte is thinking a lot about the implications of bird flu, which has taken out some recovering populations of birds. 'It has been really bad for California condors, so one of the things we think about in our de-extinction pipeline is not only bringing back species we've lost, but making them resilient to the challenges of today,' she tells PEOPLE. Ord notes that there is also perhaps a moral or ethical angle to bringing back species that were killed off through human interference. The Thylacine, a carnivorous marsupial, was aggressively hunted to extinction in the course of about 100 years. The Australian government signed a species protection act in July 1936, but just two months later the last animal, commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger, died. 'It's an example of a human caused extinction," says Ord. "And so how responsible are we to bring back this species that we drove away?" Related: One of the 'World's Rarest' Fish, Thought to Be Extinct, Rediscovered After 85 Years The team leaders of the three de-extinction projects are all women, something you would not have seen in the scientific world even a few years ago. Women have been underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) for many years. Women remain underrepresented in STEM occupations, with two-thirds (65%) men and about one-third (35%) women. Between 2011 and 2021, the number of women in the STEM workforce increased 31%, from 9.4 million to 12.3 million. (National Science Foundation, 2022) Shapiro tells PEOPLE she's been watching the proportion of women in the system grow. 'It brings a different set of viewpoints that we really need,' she says. 'We're trying to solve some of the hardest problems in biology. It is going to take that sort of diversity of experience, diversity of viewpoints. It's not just the technology that's going to make that happen.' As for the woolly mice, where do they go from here? 'This is not a project that will go on indefinitely. It served a purpose of testing genotype to phenotype, which we got positive results,' says Ord. But do not fear for the living mice, because there are plenty of takers once their work is done. 'The CEO Ben Lamm made the comment 'Don't let Sara know because she's going to be adopting all of them,' ' Ord says with a laugh. 'We all are not only passionate about the science, but passionate about the animals. And that holds all the way to the wooly mouse.' Read the original article on People
