Pygmy hippos survive two civil wars
10/03/2008
Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and our partners in Liberia have discovered that the pygmy hippopotamus, currently classified as Endangered, is surviving in Liberia's forests following two civil wars and devastating habitat degradation, and have amazing photographic evidence to prove it.
The team, made up of FFI, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and Liberia’s Forestry Development Agency (FDA), undertook extensive monitoring of Sapo National Park in Liberia to find the Endangered pygmy hippopotamus, one of the most elusive and secretive large mammals on the planet. A network of camera traps were set up in Liberia’s only national park and astonishingly the traps’ first images of wild pygmy hippos were recorded within the first three days. The expedition was funded by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species.
The camera traps will remain in place as part of an ongoing monitoring programme for the species. The information from the monitoring programme will be collated, together with information on threats to the species, to produce an accurate population estimate and conservation plan.
FFI Senior Projects Manager Africa Stephen van der Mark said “Liberia’s Upper Guinean forest ecosystem, where the pygmy hippo was photographed, is a major global conservation priority. Though unsustainable forestry and mining operations were especially devastating during the civil wars, they still pose a significant threat today. Only 10% of the original Upper Guinean forest is left of which Liberia contains about 40%. This new sighting gives us hope that, with a concerted effort, we can still protect the area’s remaining biodiversity, including the charismatic pygmy hippo.”
FFI has been active in Liberia for over ten years and was the only international environmental NGO to stay through the conflict. We are dedicated to helping the Government to develop policies that manage the forests so local communities and wildlife do not suffer for the sake of industry. FFI is also directly supporting local communities to develop biodiversity-friendly ways of making a living for, such as sustainable bamboo and rattan production. This should both reduce the immediate pressure on the pygmy hippo's habitat and ensure that conservation is sustainable long into the future.
Please see media coverage of this story in The Telegraph, The Herald and inthenews.co.uk.
FFI Communications team:
Rebecca Foges
Communications Officer
Tel: +44 (0)1223 579 491
rebecca.foges@fauna-flora.org
Sarah Chancel
Communications Officer
Tel: +44 (0)1223 579 332
sarah.chancel@fauna-flora.org
“If you value the natural world, if you believe it should be conserved for its own sake as well as for humanity’s, then do please support FFI.” Sir David Attenborough, FFI Vice President. Please support us today.
FFI’s world-renowned conservation journal, Oryx, is packed with scientific papers, conservation news, comment and discussion. Receive Oryx by joining FFI today.