“We found the carcasses of the feral buffaloes in the sanctuary on October 15 and 16. Veterinarians confirmed anthrax as the cause following which we have taken precautionary measures,” the sanctuary’s ranger Mukul Tamuli said told The Hindu on Sunday. Anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, can be fatal for humans who come in contact with infected animals. Senior Assam Forest Department officials said they were monitoring the animals to prevent an anthrax outbreak. Among the vulnerable animals are the rhinos, whose population in the sanctuary in 2018 was estimated to be 102.

Source: The Hindu October 20, 2019 23:48 UTC