http://www.postzambia.com/news.php?id=20549



Government suspends game hunting in Chikwa to combat anthrax



By Stuart Lisulo Updated: 12 Oct,2016



THE government, through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, has suspended hunting in the Chikwa Game Management Area in North Luangwa to combat the outbreak of anthrax.

According to a press statement, there has been an outbreak of anthrax that has affected scores of hippos in Chikwa, North Luangwa, who have in-turn spread the disease to humans through consumption of infected meat.

In an effort to counter the growing number of incidences, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife has suspended the hunting and movement of wildlife products out of Chikwa until such a time that the outbreak has successfully been contained.

“From the onset of the outbreak, 18 hippos out of a school of approximately 200 died from suspected anthrax in one pool called Baghdad. Out of these, 16 hippos were consumed by human beings, thereby making the extent to which the meat has gone very difficult to establish,” read the statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday from the Ministry of Tourism & Arts public relations officer, Skabilo Kalembwe.

“The government through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife has since suspended hunting in Chikwa and…has immediately undertaken to enforce this suspension of hunting and movement of wildlife product out of Chikwa until such a time that the outbreak of anthrax has been fully combatted. However, hunting of all approved species in other hunting blocks in Zambia shall continue as planned.”

Kalembwe stated that at least 56 people were treated for signs of anthrax last week following the outbreak.

“By 4th October, 2016, 56 people were treated for signs of anthrax while 200 people were given prophylactic treatment after confirming that they had consumed hippo meat from a population of 16,000 people living in Chikwa area,” he stated.

“As a long-term measure, DNPW shall undertake to depopulate the Baghdad pool to manageable numbers of hippos in order to reduce the chances of future anthrax outbreaks, while putting in place other measures to effectively manage our hippo populations in the entire Luangwa ecosystem.”

Among the key factors that have been cited in triggering this latest outbreak, no proper disinfection measures on the graves and remains of dead hippos were undertaken following an earlier anthrax outbreak in 2011, according to the statement.

Sounds like they need some hunting done as preventive measure
Hello antis, any volunteers to save anthrax hippos?

Does anyone know who has the Chikwa concession now? It was Wildcat Safaris, Mike Heath and his son Ross who had it in recent years.

I have spent the last 7 days hunting buffalo and eland in Chikwa. No one told us to stop hunting.

I must add Chikwa is a really good area, lots of buffs and eland and other PG.

The area belongs to Ivory safaris run by Zaeed Patel and Jeff Rann.

Thanks for the info Thor. It is a great area. I have not hunted there, but hunted the ajoining area Lundo a few years back when Mike Heath had that area. We did tour around Chikwa a bit.