Virunga National Park anthrax outbreak kills at least 30 hippos
Virunga National Park, Africa's oldest and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is facing a tough anthrax outbreak that has killed at least 30 hippos since September 2026.
The first signs were unusual hippo carcasses first noticed in September at Virunga National Park, which were tested and found positive for anthrax.
Officials are warning people nearby to stay away from dead animals to avoid getting sick themselves.
Virunga rangers manage carcasses, warn locals
Park teams are monitoring the affected area and are managing carcasses to keep both wildlife and communities safe.
Locals have been asked not to touch or eat any dead animals and to report anything suspicious right away.
This is not Virunga's first battle with anthrax (there was an outbreak last year too), so rangers and local authorities are working to deal with ongoing challenges like poaching and instability in the region.