The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA)has suspended tourism activities on the Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park after an outbreak of anthrax, local press reported on Thursday.

UWA Executive Director Arthur Mugisha was quoted by The New Vision as saying that this would protect the rangers and tourists.

Mugisha said people could not catch anthrax unless they got in direct contact with the dead animals.

Anthrax has killed over 200 hippos as well as buffalo in Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda in the last three months.The park, about 350 km southwest of Kampala, is home to about halfof the country's 10,000 hippos.

Meanwhile, the Ugandan government is arranging a mass burial for some of the hippos that have died of anthrax.

Source: Xinhua