The semi-aquatic mammals are found in lakes and rivers in sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated population of 115,000-130,000. In addition to the trade in ivory – found in its tusks – and animal parts, they are threatened by habitat loss and degradation and the effects of global warming. Hippos are also legally traded for commercial purposes and hunting trophies under Cites, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Ahead of the next Cites police meeting in Panama in November this year, 10 West African countries, including Togo, Gabon and Mali, have proposed giving hippos the highest protection under Cites by listing them in annex I of the convention. Hippos are already listed as an appendix II species, meaning they are not necessarily endangered, but could become extinct if their trade is not regulated. A hippopotamus cools off in a swamp as a heron forages behind it, in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda. Photo: AP If passed, it would mean a complete international ban on trade in hippo body parts and ivory to prevent the species from declining. It is estimated that at least 77,579 hippo parts and products were legally trafficked from 2009 to 2018. In 2016, hippos were classified as vulnerable to extinction on the IUCN Red List with local declines, particularly in west Africa, raising fears for the species’ survival in some of the 38 African countries where it is found. The hippopotamus is one of the heaviest land animals in the world. Males can weigh up to 1,800 kg and are often found in large groups. The animals are particularly vulnerable to overexploitation because of their long gestation periods of eight months, and females do not reach sexual maturity until nine or 10 years old. Rebecca Lewison, co-chair of the IUCN SSC hippo specialist group, said hippos have been overlooked as a species of conservation concern because of their high population density, which can give the impression that there are many of them in the wild. But populations have declined significantly over the past 20 years. “The biggest threat to hippos is habitat loss and degradation. Common hippos rely on fresh water to survive and this often brings them into conflict with local communities who also need fresh water for agriculture, energy, fishing and residential development,” he said. “Hippo-human conflicts are increasing, particularly in West Africa, where populations of common hippos are rapidly declining. Hippo-human conflicts unfortunately lead to the deaths of both hippos and humans and have contributed to a related problem of uncontrolled hunting for hippo meat and ivory, which is found in their tusks,” he added. The proposals are unlikely to affect a small population of hippos found in Colombia, which has grown from the private collection of drug lord Pablo Escobar. Many conservationists say these are invasive species and should be killed. Following the proposal, the Cites secretariat will provide an assessment to determine whether the hippos meet the criteria of Annex I and submit a recommendation based on expert input. Keenan Stears, an ecologist at the University of California, Santa Barbara who is based part of the year in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, said he supported the proposed listing because of the important role hippos play in ecosystems. “A large proportion of hippos are found in rivers experiencing significant reductions in river flow. Threats like habitat destruction to agriculture is a huge issue,” he said. But given the right conditions, Stears said, populations could stabilize. “They can recover fairly quickly with enough vegetation. Any kind of protected area would be fine to grow the population quickly.” John Scanlon, secretary-general of Cites from 2010 to 2018, said the upgrade to appendix I would entail a ban on all commercial trade in hippos, but would not ban hunting for the meat. “It is meat, teeth or skin: any commercial international trade would be banned. “Many organizations will offer their views on the proposal and I suspect it will be a big deal,” he added. “There are only about 1,500 species classified in appendix I.” Find more coverage of Age of Extinction here and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on Twitter for all the latest news and features
