The dead hippos were found in Lake Edward, a lake straddling the border between the DRC and Uganda. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax, and this bacteria lives naturally in soils around the world. Livestock and wild animals can become infected and then pass the disease […]
Tag: Hippos
No signs of slowdown in wildlife trafficking in 2024 as demand persists
Wildlife trafficking remains a pressing threat to the survival of countless species, with sharks, pangolins, rhinos, birds, big cats and others among the hardest hit. Mongabay’s extensive reporting aligns with the 2024 U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) World Wildlife Crime Report, which highlights these species as prime targets of a $20 billion per […]
Viral Pygmy Hippo is Getting Abused by Social Media Users
Moo Deng, a two-month-old pygmy hippo, has quickly become an internet sensation, attracting a surge of visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand. Her tiny, chubby frame has inspired a devoted fanbase, with videos of her circulating widely on social media. The zoo’s TikTok account, which features clips of Moo Deng, now boasts 2.5 […]
Pablo Escobar’s “Cocaine Hippos” to be Culled
Colombia faces a growing challenge with the hippopotamuses Pablo Escobar introduced to the country. Originally brought to enrich his private zoo, these massive creatures have now become a significant environmental issue. After Escobar died in 1993, his estate and its exotic animals were seized by authorities. Most of the animals were relocated to various zoos, […]
Scientists find unexpected biodiversity in an African river, thanks to eDNA
When Manuel Lopes-Lima set out to survey aquatic biodiversity on the Corubal River in 2022, he’d set his expectations very low. The river that straddles the West African nations of Guinea and Guinea-Bissau was, after all, very remote and grossly understudied. Two expeditions later, the story has turned on its heels. With the help of […]
Why is Namibia culling elephants and hippos for meat?
More than 700 wild animals, including hippos and elephants, are being culled in Namibia’s game parks to provide meat for the country’s hungry, the government has said, as the arid Southern African region battles its worst drought in 100 years. A spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation in the country as […]
Outrage Over Viral Video of Safari Visitor Throwing a Plastic Bag into Hippo’s Mouth
A recent viral video from West Java, Indonesia, has ignited global outrage and highlighted growing concerns over human interactions with wildlife. The footage captures a safari visitor recklessly tossing a plastic bag into a hippo‘s mouth, leading to widespread condemnation online. Source: @dailymail/YouTube The incident occurred at Safari Park, where a hippo was seen […]
Can Hippos Fly? New Research Discovers Hippos Can Get Airborne
Scientists at the Royal Veterinary College in North Mymms, Hertfordshire, have made a discovery: hippos, despite their hefty size, can briefly become airborne. This revelation came after extensive video analysis of hippos in motion, conducted by evolutionary biomechanics professor John Hutchinson and his team. The research team closely examined footage of hippos running, including videos […]