27 hippos have died of suspected anthrax in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Moses Mapesa the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) boss said that the hippos died on Friday and were buried on Saturday and Sunday and he was waiting for experts to confirm whether the animals died of anthrax.
He clarified that the deaths were not a threat to tourism because it occurred five kilometers east of the Katunguru Bridge towards Lake George, which is far away from the Kazinga Channel, a hippo viewing site.
This incidence comes six years after the park lost about 300 hippos, several vultures, hyenas and other grass-eating animals in Queen Elizabeth park to anthrax.
Several people died then in Bushenyi district and one in Kinyamaseke, Kasese district after eating meat of the infected hippos.
Mapesa explained that whenever an animal grazes at a spot harboring the anthrax spores, the spores come with the grass.
“The bacteria are always dormant in the soil until there is something to trigger it,” he said.
Mapesa warned the public against eating wildlife meat and livestock keepers to avoid grazing in the park and also urged anyone who sees a carcass should immediately report to Uganda Wild life Authority (UWA) authorities or other nearest authorities.By
Hamidah