Tragic Anthrax Outbreak Claims Lives of 50 Hippos in Virunga National Park**

An outbreak of anthrax has led to the deaths of at least 50 hippos in Virunga National Park, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced by wildlife in this biologically rich yet conflict-riddled region.**

At least 50 hippos and several other large animals have succumbed to anthrax poisoning in Africa's oldest national park, Virunga National Park, according to park officials. Photographic evidence provided by park management depicts lifeless hippos floating along the Ishasha River, with initial sightings commencing last week. The specific origins of the anthrax outbreak remain unclear, though laboratory tests have verified its presence within the park's ecosystem.

Emmanuel De Merode, the park's director, reported that efforts are underway to retrieve the deceased animals and inter them to prevent further contamination. However, the task is proving to be challenging due to logistical hurdles and a lack of excavating equipment. "It's difficult due to lack of access and logistics," De Merode stated to Reuters. "We have the means to limit the spread by... burying them with caustic soda."

The Ishasha River flows north toward Lake Edward, where additional reports of dead wildlife have emerged, amplifying concerns over the potential spread of anthrax in the area. This bacterium, Bacillus anthracis, is typically lethal yet does not easily disseminate. It survives as resilient spores in the soil, remaining dormant for years until introduced into an animal via inhalation or cuts.

The Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature has issued advisories urging local residents to steer clear of wildlife and to boil water from their local sources before consumption.

Spanning an area of 7,800 square kilometers (3,000 square miles), Virunga is renowned for its rich biodiversity but also for its treacherous conditions due to armed conflict. The park is a renowned tourist attraction but has suffered significantly from skirmishes between various rebel factions and the Congolese military over the years, resulting in many ranger fatalities while safeguarding the park's wildlife.

In recent decades, concerted efforts have been made to repopulate hippos in Virunga after their numbers plummeted from over 20,000 to just a few hundred as a legacy of poaching and warfare.