Zambians warned not to eat dead wildlife after anthrax kills dozens of animals — SkimNews
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- Zambia's Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit reported 46 hippos, 8 elephants, 5 buffaloes and 1 crocodile have died since July in the Munyamadzi Game Management Area, Muchinga province, following an anthrax outbreak.
- Twelve people have been infected with anthrax after consuming meat from dead wildlife in the Munyamadzi River area, according to the unit's national coordinator Norman Chipakupaku; no human deaths have been reported and all are receiving treatment.
- Chipakupaku said the carcasses were eaten because local communities depend on them for food, and authorities urged the public not to consume, sell, distribute or handle meat from animals that died suddenly or from suspected anthrax.
- Hunting has been suspended in the affected area while surveillance and laboratory investigations continue to determine the full geographical extent of the outbreak.
- Anthrax is endemic to Zambia, but human deaths are rare — a 2023 outbreak killed 4 people and spread to 9 of 10 provinces, while a 2011 outbreak saw more than 500 cases and 5 deaths linked to consumption of infected hippo meat.
- Anthrax, caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis, survives as spores in soil for years and mainly affects grazing animals; it can transmit to humans through contact with contaminated animal products.
Why it matters: The outbreak exposes how communities reliant on wild game for protein bear the brunt of Zambia's recurring anthrax cycles — with 12 already sickened and wildlife losses including 46 hippos since July. A suspended hunt and ongoing surveillance mean food security in Muchinga province is compromised until the outbreak's scope is mapped.
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