A recent mass animal death event has occurred in Virunga National Park, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with numerous hippos found dead, suspected to have been infected by a disease. This incident has drawn significant attention from local conservation units and the international community.
According to reports from People, Virunga National Park was established in 1925 and spans over 3,000 square miles. The park has been dedicated to the conservation of rare wildlife and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, approximately 50 hippos were recently discovered dead in a river south of Lake Edward, with their bodies floating belly-up on the water's surface, creating a grim scene.
Virunga National Park was once one of the largest habitats for hippos globally, but the population drastically declined due to the Congo civil war and rampant poaching, leaving only a few hundred hippos. Over the past decade, conservation efforts have successfully restored the hippo population to around 1,200. However, Congolese officials have confirmed that the sudden deaths of these hippos were caused by anthrax infection. Besides hippos, other large animals like buffalo have also died from the disease, although the exact cause of the outbreak remains unclear.
Anthrax bacteria can produce spores that remain dormant in soil for extended periods. When infected animals die and are buried, environmental changes can reactivate the bacteria, posing an infection risk to humans and livestock. Therefore, conservation units have warned local residents to avoid the affected river areas and refrain from contacting any suspicious animal carcasses or water sources.
