One hundred hippos were found dead in a river in a national park in Namibia, a hecatomb that could have been caused by anthrax.
In pictures of the local press, hippo corpses lie on their backs or heads above water in Bwabwata Park (northeast).
"More than one hundred hippopotami died last week. We do not know the origin of the deaths but we suspect that it is about the disease of the coal, "said the Namibian Minister of the Environment, Pohamba Shifeta.
Coal disease is a bacterial disease commonly associated with arid climates.
The assessment may be even higher, the minister said, assuming that hippopotamus carcasses had already been devoured by crocodiles.
"Our veterinary services are on site to try to determine the cause of death. Once the results are achieved, appropriate measures can be taken, the Minister added.
1300 hippos in total
Namibia, a southern African country that is popular with tourists for its fauna and dunes, has some 1,300 hippopotamuses.
Anthrax is an acute infection affecting both animals and humans. The bacterium (Bacillus anthracis) is also considered a bacteriological weapon. The disease is usually transmitted to humans by infected animals or by contaminated animal products.
Coal disease has recently decimated noiselessly chimpanzees living in tropical forests in a national park in Côte d'Ivoire
Source : https://www.lematin.ch
