Wildlife officials confirm why more than 40 hippopotamuses died suddenly: 'Unfortunately, this has happened before'
At least 40 hippopotamuses have been found dead in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to anthrax poisoning.
According to a park spokesperson, the dead hippos were discovered along the Ishasha River and its banks. USA Today confirmed that between 40 and 50 hippopotamuses died suddenly.
"Unfortunately, this has happened before, and it's to do with when the rains come at this time of year," said a park spokesperson per USA Today.
Anthrax is a serious bacterial disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a pathogen that lives in soil. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that wild and domestic animals can become infected when they breathe in, eat, or drink spores in contaminated environments, especially after heavy rains disturb the soil.
Virunga is Africa's oldest national park and one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. It's also home to many threatened species, and the hippo population there is already on the brink. There were nearly 30,000 hippos in the 1970s. Today, fewer than 1,200 remain due to poaching, habitat loss, and climate-linked pressures.
Hippos are critical to the ecosystems they inhabit. Their grazing patterns and movement help shape river systems and support a variety of other life, from birds to fish to local vegetation. Losing large numbers of them at once could throw the region's fragile ecological balance even further out of sync.
The loss of hippos at Virunga isn't just a wildlife crisis; it also puts local livelihoods at risk. Hippos are a key part of the park's appeal to ecotourists, whose visits support jobs and income in surrounding communities. Their decline, paired with the spread of anthrax, threatens both economic stability and public health in the region.
Park teams are removing infected animal carcasses and working with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority and Congolese health authorities to warn nearby communities about health risks.
Individuals can help by donating to wildlife protection efforts, sharing trusted information to raise awareness, and supporting sustainable ecotourism. Reducing demand for wildlife products and advocating for conservation funding also helps protect vulnerable species and the communities that live alongside them.
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