Hippos are found in Botswana, one of the largest wild populations on the planet.
Maun, Botswana:
Conservation authorities warned AFP that hippos in Botswana’s drought-stricken country are at risk of death from herds stuck in the mud.
Southern Africa is suffering from a severe drought caused by El Nino, which threatens harvests and has pushed millions to hunger. Recently, several countries have declared national disasters in this region.
The dried up Thamalakane River near the Okavango Delta, in north Botswana has forced hippos from the vast wetlands to seek natural water reserves nearby the tourist town Maun.
Lesego Moseki is the spokesperson of Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Gaborone, Botswana.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that the hippos in Botswana number between 2,000 to 4,000.
Moseki said, “The vegetation along the rivers is very poor. The hippos in Ngamiland depend on water that flows through the Okavango Delta system.” He said they were still investigating how many hippos died in these pools.
Since hippos are prone to sunburn, they should bathe frequently to prevent this. They also prefer humid climates.
They can be aggressive without water and may approach villages. Authorities in the area are calling on hippos to be moved to protected areas to prevent conflict between humans and them.
El Nino, a natural climate pattern that occurs worldwide and is usually associated with an increase in heat leading to heavy rainfalls or droughts.
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