The Virunga anthrax outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has killed 28 hippopotamuses in approximately one month, raising fresh concerns about wildlife conservation, environmental conditions and the risk of disease transmission to nearby communities.
The deaths occurred in the Semuliki River, west of Virunga National Park, in North Kivu Province. Residents first noticed an unusual number of dead hippopotamuses around mid-September, with several carcasses appearing along the river over the following weeks.
Laboratory investigations conducted by veterinary teams and conservation authorities confirmed that anthrax caused the deaths. The disease results from infection with Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that can affect both animals and humans.
The latest incident has attracted attention because it comes amid wider environmental and public health challenges in the country. Communities around the affected area are already facing concerns over disease outbreaks, while conservation authorities continue to struggle with insecurity and limited access to some wildlife habitats.
Virunga National Park has since intensified monitoring activities and issued warnings to residents to prevent further exposure to the infection.
Virunga Anthrax Outbreak Raises Public Health Concerns
The outbreak has created concerns beyond the loss of wildlife because anthrax can spread from infected animals to humans through direct contact with their bodies or contaminated animal products.
People who touch, cut open or handle infected carcasses without proper protection face a risk of exposure. Consuming meat from animals that died from the disease can also lead to infection.
Virunga National Park authorities have therefore advised residents to avoid all contact with dead or sick hippopotamuses and other animals found in the affected area.
Officials have specifically warned against touching, skinning, transporting or consuming meat from animals discovered dead. They have also encouraged residents to report unusual animal deaths to conservation officers and veterinary authorities.
These precautions are particularly important for communities living along the Semuliki River, where fishing and other activities bring residents into close contact with the surrounding environment.
Park authorities said response teams were monitoring the affected locations, recording additional animal deaths and coordinating the safe handling and disposal of carcasses.
The measures aim to reduce exposure among residents and prevent the disease from spreading further within the wildlife population.
Drought and Environmental Changes May Fuel the Outbreak
Environmental conditions have also emerged as an important factor in understanding recurring anthrax outbreaks in Virunga’s wildlife ecosystem.
According to conservation officials and veterinary experts, drought can increase the risk of infection by forcing animals to gather around limited water sources and remaining patches of vegetation.
When grazing areas become scarce, herbivores may feed closer to the ground, increasing their chances of encountering contaminated soil. Animals gathering around the same water points may also face greater exposure to the bacteria.
One of the major challenges with anthrax is the ability of its bacteria to survive in the environment for extended periods. The organism produces highly resistant spores that can remain in soil for decades under suitable conditions.
This makes controlling the disease difficult, particularly in areas where wildlife moves freely across large natural habitats.
The latest deaths have therefore renewed calls for stronger wildlife disease surveillance, environmental monitoring and early intervention whenever unusual animal deaths occur.
Previous Anthrax Outbreaks Add to Conservation Challenges
The current incident is not the first time anthrax has affected hippopotamuses in Virunga National Park.
A previous outbreak in 2025 reportedly killed 65 hippos, representing another major loss for the park’s wildlife population. Conservation workers had to mobilise equipment to retrieve affected carcasses from the water.
Virunga’s February 2026 wildlife census estimated that the park had more than 2,700 hippopotamuses distributed across 171 groups.
Although the latest deaths do not represent the entire population, repeated outbreaks could threaten conservation efforts if authorities cannot contain the disease and reduce further animal losses.
The situation also highlights the importance of hippopotamuses to the wider ecosystem. These large mammals help transfer nutrients between land and aquatic environments through their feeding and movement patterns.
Ecology and veterinary medicine expert Joel Mbusa Mapoli has warned that significant losses among hippos could disrupt important ecological processes within the park’s rivers and surrounding habitats.
Beyond disease, conservation efforts face additional pressure from prolonged armed conflict in eastern DR Congo.
The fighting between government forces and M23 fighters has restricted access to parts of Virunga National Park. Park authorities say they have lost control of significant portions of their territory over the past four years, creating difficulties for wildlife monitoring and protection.
Conservation Experts Call for Stronger Disease Surveillance
Experts believe that addressing the outbreak requires cooperation between wildlife authorities, veterinary services, public health agencies and communities living near the affected habitats.
The One Health approach provides a framework for this response by recognising the close relationship between human health, animal health and the environment.
Under this approach, authorities can improve disease detection, strengthen communication with local communities and coordinate responses before infections cause greater damage.
For Virunga, the immediate priority remains monitoring the Semuliki River, managing infected carcasses safely and preventing residents from coming into contact with potentially contaminated animals.
The latest outbreak demonstrates how environmental pressures, infectious diseases and insecurity can combine to threaten wildlife populations.
Without stronger surveillance and sustained conservation efforts, repeated outbreaks could undermine years of progress in protecting one of Africa’s most important wildlife habitats.