An anthrax outbreak has killed at least 28 hippopotamuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Virunga National Park, raising concerns about wildlife conservation and public health in the conflict hit region. The deaths have been reported along the Semuliki River over approximately four weeks, as drought and ongoing insecurity add to the challenges facing the park’s fragile ecosystem.
Laboratory tests confirmed that the deaths were caused by anthrax, a serious bacterial disease triggered by Bacillus anthracis. The outbreak has alarmed communities living along the river, particularly as the country continues to deal with a major Ebola outbreak.
Deadly Infection Poses Risks to Wildlife and Local Communities
According to Virunga National Park authorities, anthrax can read to humans through contact with infected or dead animals, as well as through consumption of contaminated meat.
Officials have urged residents to avoid touching, skinning or eating animals found dead in the affected areas. People have also been advised to report suspected cases and animal carcasses to the relevant authorities.
Park teams are monitoring the affected locations, recording new deaths and coordinating the safe handling and disposal of carcasses to limit further exposure.
Ecology and veterinary medicine expert Joel Mbusa Mapoli warned that the loss of hippos represents a significant ecological concern. Hippos play an important role in maintaining aquatic ecosystems by transferring nutrients between land and water and influencing the ecological conditions of their habitats.
Drought and Recurring Outbreaks Increase the Threat
Park officials said anthrax outbreaks have previously affected hippos and other wildlife in Virunga, particularly during periods of drought.
The bacterium can survive in soil for decades in the form of highly resistant spores, allowing infections to reappear under favourable conditions.
Drought can worsen the risk by reducing available vegetation and water sources. Herbivores may then gather around limited grazing grounds and water points, increasing their chances of encountering contaminated soil.
Experts have also identified deteriorating environmental conditions, changing animal movement patterns and difficulties in monitoring wildlife health as factors contributing to recurring outbreaks.
Virunga’s February 2026 census estimated its hippo population at more than 2,700 animals, distributed across 171 groups. However, the park also recorded a previous anthrax outbreak in 2025 that killed 65 hippos.
Armed Conflict Complicates Wildlife Conservation
The disease outbreak comes amid prolonged insecurity in eastern DR Congo, where armed conflict has placed additional pressure on wildlife protection and conservation activities.
Environmental activist Olivier Ndoole Bahemuke said decades of conflict have contributed to poaching and deforestation in the region.
Virunga National Park authorities have reported losing control of a significant portion of the park’s territory over the past four years amid fighting between the Congolese army and M23 fighters.
The armed group, meanwhile, has claimed that it is helping protect the area from poachers and other threats.
The security situation makes wildlife monitoring, disease surveillance and conservation operations more difficult, increasing the challenges of responding to environmental emergencies.
Experts Call for a Coordinated Wildlife and Public Health Response
Conservation specialists say containing the outbreak will require cooperation between wildlife authorities, health agencies and local communities.
Mapoli has called for stronger disease surveillance, safe carcass disposal, improved protection for residents and greater coordination among government and non-government organisations.
He emphasised that protecting hippos is also essential for maintaining the health of the wider ecosystem. As major contributors to the movement of nutrients between terrestrial and aquatic environments, their disappearance could disrupt the ecological balance of rivers and wetlands.
The outbreak highlights the importance of the One Health approach, which recognises that human health, animal health and environmental conditions are closely connected.
With anthrax recurring during drought conditions and conflict restricting conservation work, Virunga faces the challenge of protecting both its wildlife and the communities that depend on the surrounding ecosystem.