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PYGMY HIPPO
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Pygmy Hippo
Pygmy hippos are smaller cousins of the hippopotamus that are native to West Africa. Of the 2,000 estimated pygmy hippos remaining in the wild, most are thought to be in Liberia, with smaller numbers in of Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Ivory Coast.
STATUS
Pygmy hippos have been classified an endangered species. It has been estimated that there are around 2,000 pygmy hippos left in the wild, with numbers declining as their habitat is destroyed and they continue to be hunted for bushmeat. The majority of remaining pygmy hippos are believed to be in Liberia, with some possibly in Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Ivory Coast (all countries with remaining Upper Guinean Forest). A subspecies existed in Nigeria, but this is now believed to be extinct as there have been no sightings for decades.
THREATS
Pygmy hippos are threatened by a variety of factors which continue to contribute to dwindling pygmy hippo numbers. Loss of habitat, through deforestation, remains the main menaces. During the civil war, large-scale logging for timber export was used as a political and financial pawn, and it is only in the last decade that the industry has been regulated as a result of political stability. Illegal mining, poaching and subsistence farming have lead to fragmentation of the forest, making wildlife habitat more accessible to human predators. Despite being illegal in Liberia and a governmental campaign aimed at raising awareness of its high conservation cost, the bushmeat trade continues to thrive in major towns throughout the country.
Food insecurity as a result of agricultural constraints, lack of infrastructure and poor water facilities have resulted in forest resources being stripped as people try to meet the food needs of their families. Pygmy hippo meat is more palatable than bigger hippos, resulting in continued hunting despite legal measures to prevent it.