An anthrax outbreak that has killed close to 200 buffaloes, elephants and a hippo in Botswana has spread to Namibia, where it is posing a serious threat to livestock, officials said on Thursday.
Game rangers have found the carcasses of 180 buffaloes, 10 elephants and a hippo at Chobe National Park in northern Botswana since the outbreak on September 8.
”We have received reports that the disease has crossed into Namibia. We are trying to establish how,” said acting wildlife district coordinator Obert Gwapela.
The outbreak has forced authorities to close about half of the park, which is a major tourist attraction and is home to the Chobe river on the border between Namibia and Botswana.
The permanent secretary in the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Malan Lindeque, said five elephants and four buffaloes have died but added that officials suspect the animals contracted the disease in Botswana and died shortly after crossing the border to Namibia.
Game parks in the Caprivi region in Namibia are not in danger for now, Lindeque said, but expressed concern about livestock, which can contract the disease if it comes into contact with the carcasses of the dead animals.
”Our concern now is the livestock of the rural people. Our officials of veterinary services are busy vaccinating the livestock and are burning all carcasses found to prevent the spread of anthrax in Namibia.”
Botswana tourism officials have been inundated with cancellations and fear major financial losses in a country where tourism brings in about $104-million in revenue.
Anthrax has broken out before in the Chobe National Park. The most recent previous outbreak, in 1996, was attributed to buffaloes that had strayed into the park from Namibia.
Symptoms include skin infections that can develop into ulcers or swelling of lymph glands, breathing problems, vomiting and fever.
Wildlife authorities are trying to nail down the origin of the acute infectious bacterial disease, which mainly affects wild and domestic animals but can also pose a risk to humans exposed to the infected animals or their tissue. — Sapa-AFP