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29/08/2003
WWF's 'deep concern' over decline in hippo population
The World Wildlife Fund has expressed its "deep concern" following a new census which shows that one of the world's largest hippos populations has slumped by 95%.
The WWF says that less than 30 years ago, some 29,000 hippos lived in the Virunga National Park on the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but this year’s census shows only 1,300 remain.
Until this year, the park has been at the heart of interfactional fighting, preventing ICCN and WWF from working in significant areas. But reacting to the findings, the WWF has called on the DRC authorities to work with conservation groups to stop poaching hippos in the park and to conserve wildlife, such as the mountain gorilla. WWF hopes that the government will take advantage of recent peace agreements to put into place proper planning and management of the country’s natural resources.
The census, which was carried out by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), WWF and other conservation organizations, showed that armed factions were killing hippos in "shocking numbers" for their meat and teeth.
There is increasing international demand for hippo canine teeth in the illegal ivory trade, said the environment group.
Earlier this year, hundreds of hippos were reported to have been killed by poison in River Rutsuru, which supplies Lake Edward with freshwater, most likely for their canine teeth for sale as ivory.
Marc Languy of WWF’s Eastern Africa Regional Programme, said: “Hippos are extremely important in maintaining the ecological balance in rivers and lakes and nearby grasslands.
“Hippo dung provides essential basic elements for the food chain, particularly for fish. The loss of more than 27,000 hippos in the past few decades is a double blow: fish catches have dwindled and the freshwater ecosystems are losing hundreds of tons of nutrients every day. Lake Edward supports over 20,000 people living around the Park who depend on fish for their livelihood.”
The need for long-term protection of national parks and other valuable protected areas will be at the heart of the forthcoming 5th World Parks’ Congress in Durban, South Africa (8-15 September).
(gmcg)
The WWF says that less than 30 years ago, some 29,000 hippos lived in the Virunga National Park on the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but this year’s census shows only 1,300 remain.
Until this year, the park has been at the heart of interfactional fighting, preventing ICCN and WWF from working in significant areas. But reacting to the findings, the WWF has called on the DRC authorities to work with conservation groups to stop poaching hippos in the park and to conserve wildlife, such as the mountain gorilla. WWF hopes that the government will take advantage of recent peace agreements to put into place proper planning and management of the country’s natural resources.
The census, which was carried out by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), WWF and other conservation organizations, showed that armed factions were killing hippos in "shocking numbers" for their meat and teeth.
There is increasing international demand for hippo canine teeth in the illegal ivory trade, said the environment group.
Earlier this year, hundreds of hippos were reported to have been killed by poison in River Rutsuru, which supplies Lake Edward with freshwater, most likely for their canine teeth for sale as ivory.
Marc Languy of WWF’s Eastern Africa Regional Programme, said: “Hippos are extremely important in maintaining the ecological balance in rivers and lakes and nearby grasslands.
“Hippo dung provides essential basic elements for the food chain, particularly for fish. The loss of more than 27,000 hippos in the past few decades is a double blow: fish catches have dwindled and the freshwater ecosystems are losing hundreds of tons of nutrients every day. Lake Edward supports over 20,000 people living around the Park who depend on fish for their livelihood.”
The need for long-term protection of national parks and other valuable protected areas will be at the heart of the forthcoming 5th World Parks’ Congress in Durban, South Africa (8-15 September).
(gmcg)
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