Camille Jacques-Armand Fritsch
The goals of this study are to quantify the impact of hippo on their environment and detail aspects of their ecology and behaviour to increase understanding for their conservation and management. Unlike most other large mammals, there are no published studies of telemetry in hippo. We propose to use transmitters to obtain these novel movement data for hippo. We will use the collected telemetry data to summarize hippo habitat use and preference and quantify their role in terrestrial, wetland, and riparian systems. In addition, we will investigate the factors that determine home range and movement as well as better understand which environmental constraints have the greatest impact on the population. Results will provide conservation management with important data for on-going management strategies, and contribute to research and monitoring required to underpin sound conservation of hippo and their role as ecosystem engineers.
Hippopotamus amphibious (hippo) are an iconic species within South Africa, and throughout continental Africa. Not only do they have value in the tourism industry, but they also play an important role in their environment as ecosystem engineers. Hippos physically alter the environment they live in, creating feeding lawns, paths, and channels in swampland and deposit valuable nutrients into aquatic systems later used by fish and other aquatic species. Historically, hippos occupied river and wetland habitats throughout continental Africa. It was not until 1890’s that pressures, induced by hunting and habitat loss, caused dramatic declines in numbers and fragmented the remaining populations. In addition humans have indirectly affected hippos, as many riverine and wetland habitats, that historically hosted significant hippo populations, have now been fragmented, disturbed, polluted, and destroyed.
Unfortunately throughout Africa hippo numbers are declining. Recent worldwide population estimates suggest that numbers have declined by >20% over the past 10 years. A recent census showed that out of 36 African countries that have hippo populations, half are declining and only Zambia has a growing population. Consequently they are listed on CITES as a Schedule II species and have a Red Data classification of Vulnerable. Currently, South Africa boasts the largest hippo population in Africa. Within South Africa, the largest population occur in Kruger National Park (KNP) and iSimangaliso Wetland Park. According to KNP management staff, hippos are the most vulnerable species in KNP when the park is threatened by water scarcity induced food shortages. Although experts agree that hippos play an integral role in their ecosystems, research on the species is limited and scarce. Their reliance on water bodies and nearby grasslands has implications on their persistence particularly with on-going climate change impacts such as extended drought. In addition, loss of this species may have detrimental cascading effects through already vulnerable wetland and riparian environments. Therefore labelling the species as vulnerable may be an understatement of the immediate concern surrounding the loss of members of the species across southern and continental Africa.