Zambians warned not to eat dead wildlife after anthrax kills dozens of animals

Zambian authorities have intensified public health warnings across the country following a deadly anthrax outbreak that has decimated local wildlife populations and infected at least a dozen people in Muchinga Province. Officials from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) confirmed that the outbreak, centered in the Munyamadzi Game Management Area of Mpika District, has resulted in the deaths of scores of wild animals since July, including 46 hippopotamuses, eight elephants, five buffaloes, and a crocodile. Twelve individuals from Nabwalya chiefdom have contracted the disease after coming into contact with and consuming meat from infected wildlife carcasses found along the Munyamadzi River. The affected patients are currently receiving medical treatment as a multi-sectoral government team, incorporating veterinary services, wildlife police, and health experts, deploys to the region to curb further transmission. Authorities have established strict checkpoints and suspended hunting in the affected zone to prevent the distribution and consumption of potentially tainted bushmeat. Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by spore-forming bacteria that naturally occurs in soil and primarily affects herbivorous animals, which can transmit the infection to humans through handling or consumption. Environmental health specialists note that outbreaks in wildlife often surge during dry spells when animals congregate around diminishing water sources, increasing exposure to contaminated soil and water. The government has urged rural communities to immediately report any unexplained animal mortalities rather than salvaging meat for food or commercial sale. The recurrence of anthrax highlights enduring vulnerabilities in rural food security and wildlife monitoring systems across Zambia's game management zones. While swift state interventions have sought to contain the biological hazard, traditional practices of consuming found carcasses—driven by economic pre