The DierenPark Amersfoort Wildlife Fund supports the Friends of Veterinary Medicine Fund of Utrecht University. This fund is dedicated to the conservation of Asian elephants. It is engaged in research and projects that protect the welfare and health of the elephants. For example, research is currently being done on a vaccine against the EEHV virus that is common in young elephants.
About 25 percent of young elephants between the ages of one and eight die from EHHV (Elephant Edotheoliotropic Herpes Virus). The Friends of Veterinary Medicine Fund is conducting research on an effective vaccine. By enabling proper diagnosis and treatment, the research can make an important contribution to maintaining a vital population of Asian elephants.
