Reflecting on this past year, it’s hard to think of a single event more significant for the world’s elephants than the progress for the Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) vaccine!

This June, the teams at Houston Zoo and Baylor College of Medicine gave the first-ever dose of an mRNA vaccine for EEHV 1A to Tess, a 40-year-old Asian elephant. EEHV 1A is the deadliest strain of this devastating viral disease that targets young Asian elephants. Since then, additional elephants have successfully received doses and we are more hopeful than ever!

EF was one of the first elephant conservation organizations to identify EEHV research as a top funding priority. We joined the efforts in supporting Dr. Paul Ling’s work in developing this vaccine in 2017. Coming from elephant care, management, and veterinary backgrounds, the IEF Board of Directors recognized early on that this was a mammoth problem that needed all hands on deck.

Since IEF’s founding in 1999, we have supported 25 projects investigating EEHV with over $1 million in financial assistance.

Watch a replay of Dr. Lauren Howard’s talk with an overview of global efforts to fight EEHV here.

IEF will not rest until we Stomp Out EEHV! For an endangered species, every life counts. EEHV affects all elephants, Asian or African, in human care or in the wild. Together we can make it a thing of the past.

Can we count on your help? Right now, through the end of the year, you can DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT FOR ELEPHANTS! A generous donor has offered to match donations, dollar for dollar, up to $50,000. Help elephants today!

To take advantage of the tax benefits, donate before December 31st. Note: Many people choose to give from their assets–stocks, gifts from their IRA, cryptocurrency, and gifts from their Donor-Advised Funds to see even larger tax savings. We’re always here to help guide you through the process