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Mount Elgon National Park

All articles tagged with #mount elgon national park

science27 days ago•1 min saved

Behind a Waterfall Salt Cave Hidden Dangers: Marburg Virus Behind Kitum Cave

Hidden behind a waterfall in Mount Elgon National Park, Kitum Cave is a 200-metre-deep “elephant cave” that elephants visit to mine rock for salt. It harbors tens of thousands of bats whose ammonia-rich guano coats the floor. In the 1980s, two visitors died after contracting Marburg virus carried by fruit bats; the virus can cause internal bleeding and has an fatality rate up to 88%, with no vaccines or antiviral treatments, making the cave dangerous for humans (elephants appear unaffected).

via BBC Wildlife Magazine|

#bat-guano #elephant-caves #kitum-cave

world-news2 years ago•2 min saved

"The Deadly Mystery of Earth's Most Dangerous Cave Disease"

Kitum Cave in Mount Elgon National Park, Kenya, is known as the 'most dangerous place on Earth' due to the presence of the deadly Marburg virus, believed to be spread by bats inhabiting the cave. The cave's walls, covered in marks from animals seeking salt, have attracted visitors over time, but in the 1980s, two people died after contracting the virus. Despite efforts to identify the source of the virus, the exact species responsible remains elusive, leaving the cave with a chilling reputation.

via UNILAD|

#dangerous-places #kitum-cave #marburg-virus