An anthrax outbreak has killed 28 hippopotamuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Virunga National Park over approximately one month, according to park officials, as the country grapples with the deadliest Ebola outbreak in its history.
Hippo carcasses were discovered in the Semuliki River, west of Africa's oldest national park. “It was in mid-September that we began to notice the mass deaths of hippos in the Semuliki River. We have started to fear this situation, which is unfolding whilst we are in the midst of the Ebola outbreak,” Michael Kambale, a resident of the Vitshumbi enclave, told Al Jazeera.
Following laboratory tests, Virunga National Park confirmed that anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, was responsible for the wildlife deaths. The park said that “this disease can be transmitted to humans through contact with a dead or sick animal or by consuming its meat”.
Joel Mbusa Mapoli, an expert in ecology and veterinary medicine, said the deaths represented a significant loss for the park and called for urgent action. He explained that hippos act as ecosystem engineers, altering nutrient flows and the ecological conditions of their habitats.
Olivier Ndoole Bahemuke, a Congolese environmental activist, said armed conflict that had persisted in the country for nearly three decades had fuelled poaching and deforestation. Virunga National Park says it has lost control of a significant part of its territory over the past four years because of fighting between the Congolese army and M23 fighters, who say they are helping protect the area from poachers.
Park officials said anthrax outbreaks have previously been observed among hippos during periods of drought. An outbreak in 2025 killed 65 hippos, according to the park's February 2026 population update. The park's February 2026 census estimated the hippo population at more than 2,700.
Virunga National Park said it was focusing on surveillance, the safe management of carcasses and reducing risks to wildlife and local communities. The park said people in the affected area and its surroundings were being advised not to touch or consume animals found dead. Mapoli called for a One Health approach that combines conservation measures with public health interventions. “The hippopotamus is one of the flagship species of the Virunga ecosystems,” he told Al Jazeera. “Its disappearance could lead to a major disruption of aquatic ecosystems.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The outbreak threatens a flagship species in Africa's oldest national park, risking major disruption to the aquatic ecosystem.
- Anthrax is zoonotic, posing a direct health risk to local communities already stretched by the Ebola epidemic.
- The response is hampered by ongoing armed conflict, which has seen the park lose control of significant territory.
Background
Virunga National Park in eastern DR Congo is Africa's oldest national park, renowned for its biodiversity and a significant hippopotamus population. The region is in the grip of the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country's history, and nearly three decades of armed conflict have complicated conservation efforts. Anthrax bacteria can survive for decades in soil as spores, often triggering outbreaks during drought conditions when animals concentrate around water sources.
Key Perspectives
Virunga National Park: Confirmed the outbreak, stating it is focusing on surveillance, safe carcass disposal and community warnings to reduce risks to both wildlife and people.
Michael Kambale (resident): Expressed fear that the outbreak is unfolding whilst the community is in the midst of the Ebola epidemic.
Joel Mbusa Mapoli (ecology and veterinary medicine expert): Said the deaths are a significant loss and urged a One Health approach combining conservation with public health interventions.
Olivier Ndoole Bahemuke (environmental activist): Said the armed conflict has fuelled poaching and deforestation, further undermining conservation efforts.
What to Watch
- Whether the anthrax outbreak spreads to other wildlife or human populations, straining local public health resources already tackling Ebola.
- The effectiveness of the park's containment efforts given the loss of territorial control due to the conflict with M23 fighters.
- The ecological impact on the aquatic ecosystem if the hippopotamus population, a key ecosystem engineer, suffers significant losses.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedAnthrax killed 28 hippos in Virunga National Park.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Following laboratory tests, Virunga National Park confirmed that anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, was responsible for the wildlife deaths. According to park officials, 28 hippos died over approximately one month.”
- SupportedConflict puts conservation at risk as the DRC grapples with its deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “While the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to grapple with the deadliest Ebola outbreak in its history ... the armed conflict that has persisted in the country for nearly three decades had fuelled poaching and deforestation.”
- SupportedPark officials said 28 hippos died over approximately one month.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “According to park officials, 28 hippos died over approximately one month.”
- SupportedThe DRC is grappling with the deadliest Ebola outbreak in its history.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “While the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to grapple with the deadliest Ebola outbreak in its history”
- SupportedMichael Kambale said: “It was in mid-September that we began to notice the mass deaths of hippos in the Semuliki River. We have started to fear this situation, which is unfolding whilst we are in the midst of the Ebola outbreak,”Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““It was in mid-September that we began to notice the mass deaths of hippos in the Semuliki River. We have started to fear this situation, which is unfolding whilst we are in the midst of the Ebola outbreak,” Michael Kambale”
- SupportedVirunga National Park confirmed after laboratory tests that anthrax caused the wildlife deaths.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Following laboratory tests, Virunga National Park confirmed that anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, was responsible for the wildlife deaths.”
- SupportedVirunga National Park said anthrax can be transmitted to humans through contact with a dead or sick animal or by eating its meat.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““This disease can be transmitted to humans through contact with a dead or sick animal or by consuming its meat,” Virunga National Park said in a press release sent to Al Jazeera.”
- SupportedMapoli said the hippopotamus is a flagship species of the Virunga ecosystems and its disappearance could disrupt aquatic ecosystems.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: ““The hippopotamus is one of the flagship species of the Virunga ecosystems. Its disappearance could lead to a major disruption of aquatic ecosystems, as these animals play a role in the exchange of matter between terrestrial and aquatic environments,” he told Al Jazeera.”
- SupportedBahemuke said armed conflict that had persisted in the country for nearly three decades fuelled poaching and deforestation.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Olivier Ndoole Bahemuke, a Congolese environmental activist and head of Alerte Congolaise pour l’environnement et les droits de l’homme, a nonprofit organisation operating in the DRC, said the armed conflict that has persisted in the country for nearly three decades had fuelled poaching and deforestation.”
- SupportedVirunga says it lost control of a significant part of its territory over the past four years because of conflict between the Congolese army and M23 fighters.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “The park says it has lost control of a significant part of its territory over the past four years because of the ongoing conflict between the Congolese army and M23 fighters.”
- SupportedPark officials said anthrax outbreaks had previously been observed among hippos during droughts.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “Park officials said anthrax outbreaks had previously been observed among hippos and other wild animals in the ecosystem during periods of drought.”
- SupportedAn anthrax outbreak killed 65 hippos in Virunga in 2025, according to the park’s February 2026 population update.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “In 2025, an anthrax outbreak killed 65 hippos in Virunga National Park, according to the park’s February 2026 population update.”
