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Virunga National Park, DR Congo — At least 50 hippos and other large animals have died due to an anthrax outbreak in eastern Congo’s Virunga National Park, park officials confirmed on Tuesday. The carcasses were seen floating along the Ishasha River, which feeds into Lake Edward, one of Africa’s Great Lakes.
Park director Emmanuel De Merode confirmed that tests had identified anthrax poisoning as the cause of death. Buffaloes have also been affected, although the exact source of the contamination remains unclear.
“This is a serious blow to our efforts,” said De Merode, noting that the hippo population had slowly risen to around 1,200 after dropping from over 20,000 to just a few hundred during years of war and rampant poaching.
Grim images released by the park show hippos lying lifeless on their sides in the river, some tangled in riverbank vegetation. Park rangers first noticed the mass deaths five days ago in an area under rebel control near the Uganda border.
Anthrax is a lethal disease caused by bacteria that naturally exist in soil. Animals can contract it by inhaling spores from contaminated earth, vegetation, or water.
The Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation has urged residents to avoid wildlife and boil all water collected from the area. Meanwhile, park staff are working urgently to remove and bury the carcasses using caustic soda to prevent the disease from spreading.
“We’re facing serious logistical challenges due to limited access and the lack of heavy machinery,” De Merode told Reuters.
Local reports indicate the crisis is worsening. “There are more than 25 hippo corpses floating from Kagezi to Nyakakoma,” said Thomas Kambale, a civil society leader in the region.
Virunga, Africa’s oldest national park, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to more species of birds, reptiles, and mammals than any other protected area in the continent. However, persistent conflict and militia activity continue to threaten its wildlife and conservation efforts.
