Laboratory analysis confirmed that *Bacillus anthracis* caused the deaths after carcasses were first spotted in the Semuliki River in mid-September. Park officials have intensified surveillance and safe carcass disposal while issuing strict warnings to nearby residents against handling or consuming dead wildlife. The ecological toll threatens the local habitat where hippos regulate nutrient flows, adding to pressures from drought and persistent regional fighting. Virunga's hippo population stood at more than 2,700 during a February 2026 census, despite an earlier 2025 outbreak that claimed 65 animals.
Key points
Surrounding human populations face serious health hazards if they touch infected carcasse…: Surrounding human populations face serious health hazards if they touch infected carcasses or consume meat from contaminated animals.
Persistent soil bacteria, worsening drought conditions, and ongoing regional armed confli…: Persistent soil bacteria, worsening drought conditions, and ongoing regional armed conflict significantly increase wildlife vulnerability to disease.
The loss of hippopotamuses disrupts local ecosystems because the species plays a crucial…: The loss of hippopotamuses disrupts local ecosystems because the species plays a crucial role in altering habitats and nutrient flows.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Drought and conflict compound the threat to wildlife in eastern DR Congo.
Vitshumbi, DR Congo – While the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to grapple with the deadliest Ebola outbreak in its history, another disease is taking a heavy toll on wildlife in Virunga National Park in the country’s east.
Over the past four weeks, hippopotamus carcasses have been discovered in the Semuliki River, west of Africa’s oldest national park, raising concern among communities living along its banks.
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“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, about 100 kilometres (62 miles)…
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