22 July 2004
Apes hit by anthrax
Wild populations of chimpanzees and gorillas are on the endangered species list. Habitat loss through deforestation, hunting and Ebola virus infections have contributed to drastic population declines across Central Africa. Now yet another threat has emerged. An unusual accumulation of sudden deaths among chimpanzees in the Taï National Park, Ivory Coast has been found to be caused by anthrax. Bacillus anthracis was identified as the cause of death in at least six individuals. Tropical rainforests were not previously known to harbour B. anthracis. As well as threatening the great apes, local human populations could also be in danger as a result of illegal hunting and consumption of primates as 'bushmeat'.
Anthrax kills wild chimpanzees in a tropical
rainforest
FABIAN H. LEENDERTZ , HEINZ ELLERBROK, CHRISTOPHE
BOESCH, EMMANUEL COUACY-HYMANN, KERSTIN M�TZ-RENSING, REGINE HAKENBECK,
CARINA BERGMANN, POLA ABAZA, SANDRA JUNGLEN, YASMIN MOEBIUS, LINDA VIGILANT,
PIERRE FORMENTY & GEORG PAULI
Nature 430, 451–452 (2004); doi:10.1038/nature02722
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