.
Bui
National Park
Survey in Ghana
The World Conservation
In
the summer of 1999, the government of Ghana announced the development
its third hydroelectric dam. The development of this dam
could
have devestating effects on the populations of hippos living in the Bui
National Park. Daniel Bennett, University of Aberdeen, is leading a
team in Bui to perform a critical count of hippos. It is thought Bui is
home to Ghana's largest hippo population, potentially 250 individuals.
Dr. Bennett's team hopes to make recommendations to minimize negative
impacts of the hydroelectric plant and subsequent dam.
UPDATE:
In the spring of
2001, Dr. Bennett arrived in Ghana to perform his environmental impact
assessment (EIA) only to find the permission to perform research that
he had received from the government was withdrawn on the grounds that
the area was "politically sensitive" and his presence there was not in
the national interest.
The government of Ghana decided to hire a commercial company from
Canada to perform the EIA rather than having any independent scientists
perform studies. Hippos are quite rare in Ghana and no
researchers have visited this area of Ghana since Dr. Bennett last
visited the park in 1997.
See also:
Country-by-country assessments of hippo populations
For more information regarding this program, please contact the Chair
of the IUCN Hippo Specialty Group, Dr.
Becca Lewison