Anthrax outbreak kills hippos in DR Congo’s Virunga National Park

What the report says

An anthrax outbreak has killed hippopotamuses in and around Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to Al Jazeera, adding to pressure on wildlife in a region already affected by conflict, drought and disease. Park authorities said laboratory testing confirmed Bacillus anthracis as the cause of the deaths in the Semuliki River area, west of the country’s oldest national park.

Al Jazeera reported that 28 hippos died over roughly one month, with carcasses found over the past four weeks. Residents in the nearby Vitshumbi area said the losses became visible in mid-September and raised concern as the country faces a severe Ebola outbreak. The park warned that anthrax can spread to people through contact with infected animals or their meat and urged communities not to touch, skin or eat dead animals.

Virunga said it is monitoring the affected area, tracking new deaths and arranging the safe disposal of carcasses. The park also said it is informing local communities and asking them to report suspected cases. The outlet noted that Virunga, founded in 1925, is a biodiversity hotspot, but conservation work has been complicated by insecurity and the park’s reduced control over parts of its territory.

The report also placed the outbreak in broader context: anthrax has appeared in the park before, especially during drought periods, and officials said the bacteria can persist in soil for decades. Conservation experts quoted by Al Jazeera said protecting hippos matters not only for wildlife but also for the wider ecosystem and for public health.