DEADLY ANTHRAX KILLS DOZENS OF HIPPOS IN VIRUNGA, OFFICIALS WARN AGAINST WILD MEAT

Mon 14 April 2025:

Around 50 hippos have died due to an anthrax outbreak in Virunga National Park, Africa’s oldest national park. The dead animals were found floating in a river south of Lake Edward, near the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

Park director Emmanuel De Merode. Anthrax, caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacterium, lingers as spores in soil and can infect animals through ingestion or inhalation from contaminated water or plants.

The hippos were found dead, floating in the Ishasha River, which flows into Lake Edward, raising concerns about further spread. This is a major blow to the park, where the hippo population had already dropped from over 20,000 to about 1,200 due to poaching and conflict.

Authorities are struggling to bury the carcasses to limit the disease’s spread, hindered by a lack of excavators and ongoing regional instability. The Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation has warned locals to avoid wildlife and boil water, as anthrax can potentially infect humans, especially through consuming contaminated meat.

The local office of the DRC’s Nature Conservation Institute (ICCN) in North Kivu warned the public to be cautious, especially advising against consuming wild animal meat.

“Although this disease primarily affects wildlife, it also carries the risk of transmission to humans and domestic animals,” the statement said.

__________________________________________________________________________

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22

__________________________________________________________________________

WHAT IS ANTHRAX?

Anthrax is a deadly disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming bacterium that can survive in soil for years. Spores can remain in areas where infected or dead animals were buried, and the disease can spread to humans, with inhalation being potentially fatal.

A REGION PLAGUED BY CONFLICT

Established in 1925, Virunga National Park is renowned for its mountain gorillas and rich biodiversity. It is also located in eastern DRC, a region that has faced armed conflict for over 30 years.

Previous anthrax-related deaths of hippos and other mammals have also occurred in Virunga and other African nature reserves.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

__________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22