Common Hippos

Common hippos are gregarious and social animals that can be found in wetlands, lakes, and rivers in at least 29 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Of those countries, confirmed population declines have been reported in half. The largest declines have occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country once thought to have one of the largest common hippo populations.

The primary threats to common hippos are illegal and unregulated hunting for meat and ivory (found in the canine teeth) and habitat loss. Illegal or unregulated hunting of common hippos has been found to be particularly high in areas of civil unrest. The common hippo's reliance on fresh water habitats appears to put them at odds with human populations and adds to their vulnerability, given the growing pressure on fresh water resources across Africa. Habitat loss stems from water diversion related to agricultural development as well as larger-scale development in and around wetland areas. Reports of human mortalities from common hippo interactions have also increased in recent years. Ten countries reported growing numbers of common hippo-human conflicts, in several cases exacerbated by drought conditions. 

Pygmy Hippos

The population of pygmy hippos is isolated to entirely within West Africa.  The range of this species has changed dramatically in the past 100 years, but most acutely in the past 30 years. Forests within the pygmy hippo's historical range have been steadily logged, farmed and settled.  Human development activities have caused the retreat of pygmy hippos into diminishing parcels of forest, which are becoming increasingly fragmented and insular. Years of civil unrest pose dangers to the pygmy hippo population.  The 1993 Action Plan estimated that there were approximately 2,000-3,000 individuals remaining . Subsequents reports of habitat loss and hunting suggest that the 1993 estimate may be high given current conditions.