More than 100 hippos are 'killed by Anthrax' in Namibia as shocking images show them bloated and lifeless on their backs

More than 100 hippos have died in Namibia after they are believed to have contracted anthrax.

Rangers at Bwabwata National Park say 109 of the animals have perished since Sunday last week as pictures show dozens of bloated bodies floating in murky water.

While the exact cause of the deaths is not clear, workers believe it could be down to an anthrax outbreak, which is caused by bacterial spores that occur naturally.

Apollinaris Kannyinga, parks deputy director of the north-east regions, told The Namibian that such outbreaks are not uncommon.

They usually occur when waters in the Kavango River, where a large number of bodies have been found, are running low, he added.

Veterinarians still need to confirm the cause, and say the death toll could be higher because vultures and crocodiles have been eating the remains.

Government officials estimated that Namibia's hippo population was around 1,300 before the mass death.

The minister added that he would be alarmed if there were any further hippo deaths at the national park which is one of the country's foremost tourist attractions.

Several countries have weaponised anthrax and it was used in a string of high-profile poisoning cases in the US in 2001. 

Five people died and a further 17 were poisoned after spores were mailed to newspaper offices and two Democrat senators.