Anthrax Outbreak Kills 109 Hippos in Namibia

Namibian authorities say an anthrax outbreak may have caused the deaths of 109 hippos in one of the country’s national parks, Bwabwata National Park.

“We first noticed the deaths of 10 hippos last week Sunday, but the number increased during the week,” Bwabwata National Park director told reporters. “As we speak, the number of deaths is 109. We suspect an anthrax outbreak, but our vete­rinary team is still to confirm that.”

Two of the hippos were discovered dead in the Kavango River outside the park. New Era toured the park on Saturday with the help of park warden Jonas Hausiku and one could see hippo carcasses scattered by the river in the park and over streams of stagnant water that link with the river.

“This is a situation that we have seen before. It happened in Zambia before and it mainly occurs when the level of the river is so low… Our scientist will advise properly, but we suspect it is anthrax.

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Hundreds of Whales Die after Mass Stranding on NZ Coast

Third-worst whale stranding on record leaves hundreds of Cetacea dead in NZ

At least 340 pilot whales have died after a mass stranding on Farewell Spit (Golden Bay, NZ), and about 80 were still alive tonight.

The stranding may have been due to old age, sickness, or the  whales inability to keep up with the pod. Underwater explosions caused by sonar, seismic testing or underwater sea quakes could also have an impact on them,” said a report.

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Thousands of Snow Geese Fall Out of Sky in Idaho

Suspected avian cholera outbreak kills  thousands  of migrating snow geese

About 2,000 migrating snow geese appeared to have succumbed to avian cholera and died at Mud Lake and Market Lake Wildlife Management Areas, on their way back north to their nesting grounds in Northern Alaska, reported the Idaho Department of Fish & Game (IDFG).

“The carcasses of a small number of snow geese were first reported at Camas National Wildlife Refuge near Dubois, Idaho. Closer inspection on Friday found higher numbers of dead birds at the Mud Lake WMA Area near Terreton, Idaho and a lesser amount at Market Lake WMA near Roberts, Idaho. The migratory birds were on the return leg of their migration from the southwestern United States and Mexico to their breeding grounds on the northern coast of Alaska. It is unknown at this time where the geese may have picked up the suspected bacteria. ‘Outbreaks of avian cholera have occurred sporadically in the region over the past few decades,’ said Upper Snake Regional Supervisor Steve Schmidt.”

“Basically, they just fell out of the sky,” media reported an IDFG spokesperson as saying.

“More than 10,000 migrating birds died of avian cholera in southern Oregon and northern California in the first three months of 2012 because of low water levels in wetlands at a popular bird rest area,” said a report.