conservation strategy for the pygmy hippopotamus...the pygmy hippopotamus, or pygmy hippo,...
TRANSCRIPT
Conservation Strategy for the Pygmy
Hippopotamus
Compiled by D. Mallon, C. Wightman, P. De Ornellas, B. Collen and C. Ransom.
© ZSL
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Conservation Strategy for the Pygmy Hippopotamus
Produced following the Pygmy Hippo Conservation Strategy Workshop, Monrovia, Liberia
22-24 November 2010
Workshop logo design courtesy of Shane M. Robinson, San Diego, California
Recommended citation: Mallon, D., Wightman, C., De Ornellas, P. and Ransom, C. (Compilers) 2011.
Conservation Strategy for the Pygmy Hippopotamus. IUCN Species Survival Commission. Gland,
Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.
The designation of geographical entities in this report do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part
of IUCN or SSC concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area, or concerning the delimitation of
frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN
Published by: IUCN SSC Pygmy Hippo sub-group to the Hippo Specialist group and the IUCN SSC
Species Conservation Planning sub-committee.
Copyright: ©IUCN Species Survival Commission 2011
Reproduction of this publication for educational, conservation and other non-commercial purposes is
authorised without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully
acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for sale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without
prior written permission of the copyright holder.
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Contents
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 5
2. BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF THE PYGMY HIPPO ............................................................................ 6
2.1 Taxonomy ................................................................................................................................ 6
2.2 Common names ...................................................................................................................... 6
2.3 Description .............................................................................................................................. 6
2.4 Biology and Ecology ................................................................................................................ 7
2.5 Habitat .................................................................................................................................... 8
3 DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION .................................................................................................. 9
3.1 Distribution ............................................................................................................................. 9
3.1.1 Global distribution .......................................................................................................... 9
3.1.2 Mapping .......................................................................................................................... 9
3.1.3 Côte d'Ivoire (Map1) ..................................................................................................... 10
3.1.4 Guinea (Map2) .............................................................................................................. 10
3.1.5 Liberia (Map3) ............................................................................................................... 10
3.1.6 Sierra Leone (Map4) ...................................................................................................... 10
3.1.7 Nigeria (Map5) .............................................................................................................. 11
3.1.8 Distribution across national boundaries ....................................................................... 11
3.2 Population ............................................................................................................................. 17
3.2.1 Global population.......................................................................................................... 17
3.2.2 Côte d'Ivoire .................................................................................................................. 17
3.2.3 Guinea ........................................................................................................................... 18
3.2.4 Liberia ............................................................................................................................ 18
3.2.5 Sierra Leone .................................................................................................................. 18
4. Conservation action ..................................................................................................................... 19
4.1 IUCN Red List Classification ................................................................................................... 19
4.2 IUCN Species Survival Commission ....................................................................................... 19
4.3 CITES ...................................................................................................................................... 19
4.4 EDGE of Existence ................................................................................................................. 19
4.5 Legal protection .................................................................................................................... 19
4.6 Protected Areas .................................................................................................................... 19
4.7 Current research and conservation initiatives ...................................................................... 21
4.7.1 Landscape level initiatives ............................................................................................ 21
4.7.2 Transboundary initiatives ............................................................................................. 21
4.7.3 Côte d'Ivoire .................................................................................................................. 21
4.7.4 Guinea ........................................................................................................................... 21
4.7.5 Liberia ............................................................................................................................ 22
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4.7.6 Sierra Leone .................................................................................................................. 22
4.7.7 Captive Breeding ........................................................................................................... 22
5 THREATS ....................................................................................................................................... 24
5.1 Threat Assessment ................................................................................................................ 24
5.2 Habitat Loss and Fragmentation ........................................................................................... 24
5.3 Poaching ................................................................................................................................ 25
5.4 Human-Wildlife Conflict ........................................................................................................ 25
5.5 Inadequate Protected Area Network .................................................................................... 25
5.6 Climate Change ..................................................................................................................... 25
5.7 Civil Conflict........................................................................................................................... 25
5.8 Policy and Institutional Weakness ........................................................................................ 26
5.9 Gaps ...................................................................................................................................... 26
5.10 Lack of Regional Cooperation ........................................................................................... 26
6 PYGMY HIPPO CONSERVATION STRATEGY .................................................................................. 27
6.1 Vision ..................................................................................................................................... 27
6.2 Goal ....................................................................................................................................... 27
6.3 Objectives.............................................................................................................................. 27
6.4 Actions .................................................................................................................................. 28
7 IMPLEMENTATION ....................................................................................................................... 30
7.1 Finalizing the conservation strategy ..................................................................................... 30
7.2 Funding ................................................................................................................................. 30
7.3 National Action Plans (NAP) .................................................................................................. 30
7.3.1 National Action Plan format.......................................................................................... 30
7.3.2 Government Endorsement ........................................................................................... 30
7.3.3 NAP process .................................................................................................................. 30
8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................ 31
9 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................. 31
Appendix 1. List of Participants and Contributors ................................................................................ 35
Appendix 2. Workshop Agenda ............................................................................................................ 37
Appendix 3. Workshop Resolution on Pygmy Hippo Conservation ...................................................... 38
Appendix 4. National Wildlife Legislation and Government Agencies Responsible for Pygmy hippo
Conservation ......................................................................................................................................... 39
Appendix 5. Pygmy Hippo Conservation Stakeholders ......................................................................... 40
Appendix 6. List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................... 42
Appendix 7. Pygmy Hippo Conservation Strategy– Logical Framework ............................................... 43
Appendix 8. National Action Plan template .......................................................................................... 48
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1. INTRODUCTION
The pygmy hippopotamus, or pygmy hippo, Choeropsis liberiensis is a species of high conservation
concern because it is classed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and has a restricted range in the Upper Guinea Forest of West Africa; this habitat has been severely reduced by wide-scale
deforestation and pygmy hippo populations are believed to be declining and increasingly
fragmented (Lewison and Oliver 2008).
To address this concern, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) held a meeting in April 2009,
attended by representatives of several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in pygmy
hippo conservation, including Fauna and Flora International (FFI), Institute for Breeding of Rare and
Endangered African Mammals (IBREAM), IUCN, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
(RSPB). One outcome of the meeting was the establishment of the Pygmy Hippo Sub-group of the
IUCN Species Survival Commission Pigs, Peccaries and Hippos Specialist Group. The first task of the sub-group was to organize and raise funds for a regional conservation strategy workshop. The aim of
the workshop was to bring together all stakeholders to review current knowledge, create a
collaborative network and develop a regional conservation strategy, that with government
endorsement, will guide conservation, education and research across the entire range of the pygmy
hippo. Global and regional conservation strategies of this type have proved very successful in
mobilizing funds and support.
The conservation strategy workshop took place in Monrovia, Liberia, from 22 to 24 November 2010.
It was attended by 33 participants, including representatives from all range states, government
agencies, and local and international NGOs working on pygmy hippo conservation. Several others
who did not attend the workshop also contributed to the strategy (Appendix 1).
The conservation strategy and the structure of the workshop followed the process developed by
IUCN to produce a long-term, range-wide framework for prioritised conservation action. The
workshop was facilitated by the IUCN/SSC Species Planning Sub-committee. The IUCN strategic
planning process is designed to be participatory and collaborative, with all stakeholders engaged in
the development of the plan, including government authorities, NGOs, scientists and local
© Christiana Wightman ZSL
Figure 1 Representatives from range states governments, NGOs, scientists and
local communities attended the Monrovia workshop
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community representatives. The workshop agenda is included in Appendix 2. The IUCN strategic
planning process is sufficiently flexible to deal with the wide ecological and geographical range of
species planning situations but three elements remain essential: a status review, threat analysis, and
a central core structure.
A thorough knowledge of the status and biology of a species is an essential prerequisite to the
development of a conservation strategy. A detailed status review, including digitised distribution
maps, was compiled by ZSL in preparation for the workshop (Wightman et al. in prep.). This
represents the most detailed and up-to date account of the status and biology of the pygmy hippo
produced to date and includes a full bibliography. Relevant information from the full status review
and the maps were assessed and updated during the workshop. A full evaluation of the major
threats to pygmy hippos and their habitat is also crucial in order to identify measures needed to
mitigate threats and improve the conservation status, so a full threat analysis formed an integral
stage in the workshop. The conservation strategy itself is designed to provide a long-term
framework for action, beginning with a long-term, idealized vision, followed by a more concrete goal, through a logical, hierarchical structure down to individual actions. This was developed in a
participatory way during the workshop through a series of plenary sessions and working group
discussions. It is envisaged that these actions will be developed in more detail and implemented
through National Action Plans. As a final step, workshop participants drafted a resolution on the
importance of pygmy hippopotamus conservation for transmission to regional heads of state
(Appendix 3).
2. BIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF THE PYGMY HIPPO
2.1 Taxonomy Choeropsis liberiensis (Morton, 1849). Formerly included in the genus Hexaprotodon liberiensis
(Boisserie 2005). Two subspecies are recognized. The nominate subspecies occurs in Côte d’Ivoire,
Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The subspecies C. l. heslopi is known only from the Niger delta,Nigeria. Its identity, based on morphological features of the skull, was confirmed by Corbet (1969)
but validation of its status through DNA analysis would be useful.
2.2 Common names English: Pygmy hippopotamus, pygmy hippo
French: Hippopotame pygmée, hippo pygmée, hippopotame nain Spanish: Hipopótamo enano, hipopótamo pigmeo
German: Zwergflusspferd
2.3 Description The pygmy hippo is considerably smaller than the common hippo, weighing 180–270 kg and with a
shoulder height of 70-80 cm. It also has proportionately longer limbs and neck and a smaller head
(Eltringham 1999). It is less aquatic than the common hippo and has maintained some terrestrial
patterns of locomotion (Eltringham 1999, Boisserie 2005, Fisher et al. 2007). It has a forward sloping
body and only moderately webbed toes which are advantageous for moving through the dense
vegetation of swamps, forests and watersides (Robinson 1970).
Pygmy hippos have some aquatic adaptations such as strong muscular valves to the ears and nostrils
and are dependent on water for body cooling as they lack sebaceous glands or temperature-
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regulating sweat glands and their skin must remain moist as it cracks if exposed to sunlight for long
periods (Eltringham 1999, Oliver 1975, Boisserie 2005). The skin of the pygmy hippo secretes a
protective, clear, oily substance from the pores of the skin which allows the animals to remain in
water or in a dry atmosphere on land for extended periods and may have antiseptic properties and
act as a protection from sunburn (Eltringham 1999, Hashimoto et al. 2007).
2.4 Biology and Ecology Pygmy hippos are rarely seen because of their secretive habits and knowledge of their ecology is
limited. The most detailed field studies are those by Robinson (1970), Bülow (1988) and Hentschel
(1990). A general account of its biology is given by Eltringham (1999) and Robinson (1981b) compiled a detailed bibliography of the species.
Little is known about pygmy hippo ranging patterns, home range size or territoriality. In 1985-86,
five animals (4 females, 1 male) were radio-collared in Azagny National Park, Côte d’Ivoire, and
tracked for 3-6 months (Bülow 1988). This study found that female home ranges overlapped and
estimated that they covered 40-60 ha, while the home range of the male covered 150 ha. Bülow
(1988) also found that the male pygmy hippo covered a distance of 2 km per day, whereas the
longest recorded distance moved by a female was 900 m. This remains the only radio-collaring study
of pygmy hippos to date.
Pygmy hippos are solitary except when a female is accompanied by young or during the brief
association of a breeding pair (Robinson 1970, 1996, Robinson & Suter 1999). They are primarily, but
not exclusively, nocturnal. Radio-collaring evidence showed that in Azagny National Park they were
active mainly from late afternoon until midnight with peak activity between 16h00 and 23h00
(Bülow 1988). Recent camera trapping in Liberia and Sierra Leone has revealed that they may also be
active throughout the night and also during the day. They spend the day hidden in swamps, wallows
or hollows under the banks of streams (Robinson 1981a, Roth et al. 2004) or on drier ground within
swamps (Bülow 1988). Pygmy hippos follow well-defined trails or tunnel-like paths through the
forest and swamp vegetation, which they mark by spreading dung by vigorously wagging their tail while defecating (Johnston 1906, Robinson 1970, White 1986).
Pygmy hippos feed on terrestrial and semi-aquatic plants. In the wild, they are known to eat ferns,
tender roots, grasses, herbs, stems and leaves of young trees, vegetables and fallen fruit; they have
also been observed to eat sweet potato leaves, okra, pepper plants, cassava and the tender shoots
of young rice plants on plantations and farms at the forest edge (Robinson 1970, 1999, Bülow 1988,
Hentschel 1990). Pygmy hippos have been reported to feed for 5.8-6 hours per day, between mid-
afternoon and midnight (Robinson 1981a, Eltringham 1999) but camera trapping has shown they
may feed throughout the night. They may defoliate young trees by taking the base of the twig in its
mouth, then shaking its head while pulling the twig through the mouth and they have also been observed standing on their hind legs with their front legs against the stem to reach ferns growing
within Raphia palms (Bülow 1988). White (1986) recorded pygmy hippos taking fish from traps in
Sierra Leone.
Little is known about reproduction in the wild. Galat-Luong (1981) observed a new-born pygmy
hippo in Taï National Park over the course of a day. It remained in a pool for most of the time where
it was apparently ‘parked’ by the female who returned at intervals to feed it.
In general, the range of the pygmy hippo does not overlap with that of the common hippo but they
may once have been sympatric in a few places in Liberia (Schomburgk 1913) and northwest Sierra Leone (Teleki and Baldwin 1980, Grubb et al. 1998). Roth et al. (2004) reported that in Côte d'Ivoire
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along the Bandama River, almost as far north as the confluence of the Nzi, where they were still
found together with the common hippo in 1986.
The effects of natural predators on the pygmy hippo are unknown, but the principal carnivores
capable of attacking an adult animal of this size are the leopard Panthera pardus (Robinson 1970) and Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus. Hentschel (1990) obtained a photograph of a juvenile pygmy
hippo killed by a leopard and Roth et al. (2004) saw two animals that had been mauled. Young
animals are vulnerable to a wider range of predators, including African golden cat Caracal aurata
African civet Civettictis civetta (Eltringham 1999) and African rock python Python sebae.
2.5 Habitat Pygmy hippos mainly inhabit primary rain forest close to rivers, streams and Raphia palm tree
swamps (Robinson, 1970, Bülow 1988, Eltringham, 1999). Klop et al. (2008) found pygmy hippos in
floodplains dominated by tall herbaceous vegetation and patches of riverine forest. The habitat
characteristics which appear to be most important are the presence of small streams with
submerged trees, root hollows, swampy depressions, and the size and density of ground vegetation
(Roth et al. 2004).
Figure 2 Typical pygmy hippo habitat
© Phillip Robinson
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3 DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION
3.1 Distribution
3.1.1 Global distribution
The nominate subspecies is endemic to the Upper Guinea Forest of Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia and
Sierra Leone. The second subspecies, C. l. heslopi, occurs in Nigeria some 1,800 km to the east, on
the other side of the Dahomey Gap. There have been no records of this subspecies since 1945.
The historic distribution of the pygmy hippo was more extensive than the distribution today (Fig. 1).
Populations have disappeared from many sites and become fragmented across the landscape. There
are confirmed recent records from several localities in each of the four range countries (see below)
and several former sites that have not been surveyed in the last 10 years may still harbour pygmy
hippo populations. Full details of the current distribution are therefore unknown.
3.1.2 Mapping
As part of the status review process, distribution maps for each range country were compiled and
digitised based on records from the published literature and reports. Information on pygmy hippos is
relatively scarce so pygmy hippo records were categorised as: 1) confirmed recent (post-2000); 2)
unconfirmed recent; 3) confirmed historic (before 2000), and 4) unconfirmed historic. Confirmed
records were defined as: a reliable direct observation or indirect signs of the presence of the animal such as footprints or spoor. Unconfirmed - a second hand report or the species being reported in an
area by local people, being sold as bushmeat or perhaps skeletal remains being found in a village.
Draft maps were reviewed, the locality data were supplemented and amended, and revised versions
produced during the workshop.
Figure 3 Distribution maps were reviewed as part of the status review process
© Christiana Wightman ZSL
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3.1.3 Côte d'Ivoire (Map1)
As part of a GTZ (Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit - German Technical Cooperation)
project between 1977 and 2004 detailed questionnaire and field surveys were carried out in
potential pygmy hippo range (Roth et al. 2004). These surveys recorded that pygmy hippos were
present in 33 sub-districts in the southwest and south-centre of the country and that their
distribution extended from the Cavally River on the border with Liberia, north to Tiapleu Forest
Reserve (Forêt Classée) at 7015’, and east to the estuary of the Agneby River at about 4018’ (Fig 2)
(Roth et al. 2004). Most of the forest cover in Côte d'Ivoire has been lost and remaining populations
are fragmented. By far the most important site for pygmy hippos is Taï National Park and its adjacent
zone of protection including N’Zo Faunal Reserve and other sites are unlikely to be significant for
their conservation (Roth et al. 2004). Pygmy hippos are currently present in Taï National Park, Goin Débé Classified Forest, Cavally Classified Forest on the border with Liberia and Azagny National Park
in the south-centre of the country. It is possible that pygmy hippos may remain in small numbers
within any fragments of suitable habitat across the historical distribution described in Roth et al.
(2004).
3.1.4 Guinea (Map2)
Fragmented pygmy hippo populations occur in the forest zone of the south-east (Fig 3). There are
post-2000 records from Ziama Biosphere Reserve, Diécké Forest Reserve, Mont Béro Reserve, and
also in Tinzou Community Reserve which is in the process of establishment. Four further areas of
possible occurrence in suitable habitat have been identified for survey. Pygmy hippos formerly
occurred in Déré Forest in the extreme south on the border with Liberia but this area has been
degraded and converted into farmland and a short survey by the NGO Sylvatrop in 2009 found no
evidence of pygmy hippo presence.
3.1.5 Liberia (Map3)
Pygmy hippos were presumably widely distributed in the past. The centre of the country has
undergone intensive human transformation from original forest to rubber plantations and
agriculture and consequently their current distribution is divided between the remaining forest
blocks in southeastern and northwestern Liberia (Fig. 4).
The centre of pygmy hippo distribution in the southeast lies in Sapo National Park (Collen et al. 2011). They have been recorded recently along the Duobe River to the north of Sapo across to the
Grebo National Forest on the border with Côte d'Ivoire, as well as along Kia Creek in Maryland/River
Gee counties and within the proposed Grand Kru-River Gee Protected Area. Pygmy hippos are still
likely to occur in other forests between the Cestos and Senkwehn rivers, where abundant signs of
their presence were found in 1998 (Robinson and Suter 1999). In the northwest, there are recent
records along the border with Sierra Leone in the Gola National Forest and in the Wonegizi National
Forest on the border with Guinea and the species is thought likely to occur in suitable habitat
between these two sites.
3.1.6 Sierra Leone (Map4)
Pygmy hippo populations survive in the Gola Forest region bordering Liberia, around the Loma
Mountains in the north of the country and along the Moa River almost 50km from Tolubu in the
north to Tossor in the south on islands, including Tiwai, and with unconfirmed reports as far south as
Mambo village only 20 km from the coast (Fig. 5). A recent report of pygmy hippos along the Seli
River close to Kafogo on the road to Kabala, an unprotected area, gives some hope that there may be other small populations elsewhere in the country. Populations reported from other forests in
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Sierra Leone in the late 1960s are now presumed to be extinct, leaving Gola Forest as the last main
refuge. Klop et al. (2008) recorded signs inside and outside the Gola reserves and said the Kwadi and
Makoi Rivers were likely to be the most important areas in Gola for pygmy hippos. Unconfirmed
reports exist of pygmy hippos within the Outamba-Kilimi National Park which retains other large
mammals such as elephants and the common hippo.
3.1.7 Nigeria (Map5)
The subspecies, C. l. heslopi, is known only from the Niger Delta east to the vicinity of the Cross
River. It is known from only five specimens and local reports (Fig. 6). Ritchie (1930) provided
measurements of two skulls obtained in 1928 and one animal was shot near Omoku (Heslop 1945).
The 1993 Action Plan suggested that H. l. heslopi may still occur in the Niger Delta, but the 1994 IUCN Red List regarded the subspecies as extinct. Blench (2007) mapped the available records and
said that it was likely to have disappeared from most areas in the 1960s, but anecdotal reports
continued into the early 1990s. There is no firm evidence of current presence in the Delta and it is
very unlikely any remain (J. Oates in litt. 2011), though a final effort to investigate may be
worthwhile. I It is surprising that its existence was so poorly known or documented. Lewison and
Oliver (2008) regarded the population as extinct.
3.1.8 Distribution across national boundaries
Rivers frequently delineate national borders in West Africa and the occurrence of pygmy hippos
within these river catchments highlights the need for transboundary cooperation. For example, the
Cavally River runs along the border between Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire; pygmy hippos occur in Grebo
National Forest on the Liberian side and also in the Cavally and Goin Débé Classified Forests on the
Ivorian side. The Gola Forest National Park of Sierra Leone and Gola National Forest in Liberia are
another important transboundary location. There are also confirmed occurrences of pygmy hippos
close to the Liberia-Guinea border on both sides.
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Map 1 Pygmy hippo distribution in Ivory Coast
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Map 2 Pygmy hippo distribution in Guinea
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Map 3 Pygmy hippo occurrences in Liberia
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Map 4 Pygmy hippo occurrences in Sierra Leone
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Map 5 Pygmy hippo occurrences in Nigeria
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3.2 Population
3.2.1 Global population
The 1993 IUCN Status Survey and Action Plan estimated the population at ‘a few thousand at most’
(Eltringham 1993). This estimate was cited as ‘2,000-3,000’ in the IUCN Red List assessment (Lewison & Oliver 2008) who said even that figure may be too high.
However, some much higher population estimates have been made for Côte d’Ivoire as part of the
GTZ project 1977–2004. These estimates were originally contained in internal GTZ reports (Hoppe-
Dominik 1999) or in university theses (Bülow 1988, Hentschel 1990) and have not been widely
publicised. The figures have now been reviewed and summarised by Roth et al. (2004).
Density estimates were calculated from track and dung counts made along fixed transects during a
long-term monitoring programme in Taï National Park. Hentschel (1990) estimated mean densities
of 3.6 individuals/km2 in primary forest, with a maximum of 7.6/km2 in one locality, and 2.9/km2 in secondary forest. On the basis of these figures, Roth et al. (2004) concluded that there may have
been 10,000 pygmy hippos in Taï National Park and 19,000 in Côte d’Ivoire during 1982-1986, but
that numbers in Taï had fallen to 5,000 1997. Densities in the east of Taï fell to 0.3/km2 in 1998 and
0.2/km2 in 2001 and in the west to 0.8/km2 in 1995 and 1.4/km2 in 1998; while the latest figures
showed densities in the best areas of 1.4-2.5/km2 (Hoppe-Dominik 1999, Roth et al. 2004).
It should be emphasised that extrapolating population density estimates from dung/pellet counts is
problematic and heavily dependent on expertise in detecting dung and on accurate estimates of
defecation and dung decay rates; as Roth et al. (2004) say “Generally this method only serves to
establish the presence and relative abundance of a species or to establish temporal fluctuations in
the same area.”
Bülow (1988) estimated a density of 2 individuals/km2 and a minimum population of 120 pygmy
hippos in 300 km2 in Azagny National Park, based on a combination of tracking and radio-collaring of
5 animals.
The present size of the global population is thus unknown, but it is widely considered to be declining
based on the evidence of habitat loss, reports of poaching and the reduced densities in Taï National
Park reported by Roth et al. (2004). In general, quantitative information is lacking, and many
population estimates are based on informed guesswork or an association of suitable habitat with the
possibility of species presence. Current monitoring projects, based on systematic camera trapping and occupancy modelling, are expected in time to improve the accuracy and rigour of population
estimates.
It seems clear that pygmy hippos were once more abundant and have declined to an unknown
extent. Roth et al. (2004) cited nine killed in an area of 6 km2 and 23 captured by an animal dealer
along one stretch of the Sassandra River in 1963 as further evidence of locally high former densities.
3.2.2 Côte d'Ivoire
The estimates made during the GTZ project were cited above. Roth et al. (2004) also estimated that
Taï National Park had fewer than 12,000 in 1982 and only 5,000 in 1997. The current Office Ivoirien
des Parcs et Réserves estimate for Taï National Park reported at the workshop is around 2,000.
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3.2.3 Guinea
In 1994, populations in Ziama and Diécké forests were estimated at 32–96 and 18–54 individuals,
respectively (Butzler 1999). There are no reliable estimates of the current population size.
3.2.4 Liberia
Numbers reported in the past were ‘at least 1,000’ (Verschuren 1982) and ‘in the order of several
thousand in 1983’ (A.L. Peal, cited in Eltringham 1993). There is some site level information but not yet enough to enable a realistic population estimate for the whole country. A monitoring
programme based on transects and systematic camera trapping was initiated in Sapo National Park
in 2007.
3.2.5 Sierra Leone
A 1979 livestock survey report concluded that ‘there are probably a hundred or so’ in the country
(Teleki and Baldwin 1980). The estimate from the 2010 workshop was roughly 150 individuals in the
Gola Forest and the Moa river islands, including Tiwai.
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4. Conservation action
4.1 IUCN Red List classification The pygmy hippo is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, under criterion C1, based on a
population size of fewer than 2,500 mature individuals and a continuing decline estimated to reach
20% over the next 20 years (Lewison & Oliver 2008).
4.2 IUCN Species Survival Commission Pygmy hippos fall within the responsibility of the IUCN/SSC Pigs, Peccaries and Hippos Specialist
Group. A Pygmy Hippo Sub-group was formed in June 2009 to reflect the importance of the species
and the need for coordinated conservation action. The IUCN Pigs, Peccaries and Hippos Action Plan
(Oliver 1993) contained a chapter on pygmy hippo including an action plan (Eltringham 1993).
4.3 CITES Pygmy hippo is listed on Appendix II of CITES (as Hexaprotodon liberiensis) which provides partial
controls on international trade.
4.4 EDGE of Existence ZSL’s Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) programme prioritises species that are
both evolutionarily distinct and highly threatened for proactive conservation action. The pygmy
hippo was ranked 21st highest mammal priority and has been selected as one of the 10 priority EDGE
mammal species.
4.5 Legal protection Pygmy hippos have full legal protection in all range states under the 1968 African Convention on the
conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The species is also legally protected in all range
states (national legislation and relevant government agencies are detailed in Appendix 4).
4.6 Protected areas Most recent confirmed records of pygmy hippos are in protected areas (PAs). Effectively managed
PAs are key to pygmy hippo persistence and the importance of PAs will increase if deforestation in West Africa continues. The largest PA containing pygmy hippo populations is Taï National Park and
its Zone of Protection in Côte d’Ivoire. Other large and important sites are Sapo National Park in
Liberia, the Gola Forest Reserves cluster (Gola North, Gola East and Gola West) in Sierra Leone, and
Ziama Biosphere Reserve in Guinea (full list in Table 1).
Management effectiveness varies widely. Some sites are well-managed, others are not, and
problems of agricultural encroachment, illegal mining and poaching in PAs are widespread.
However, in one recent positive development, several thousand miners were evicted from Sapo
National Park in October 2010 (FDA pers. comm.).
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Table 1. Protected areas containing pygmy hippo populations
Site Area (km2) IUCN
Category1
Pygmy hippo status
Côte d’Ivoire Taï National Park 4570 II Confirmed recent
N’Zo Faunal Reserve 950 IV Confirmed recent
Azagny National Park 190 IV Confirmed recent
Cavally Classified Forest 671 ? Confirmed recent
Goin Débé Classified Forest 1371 ? Confirmed recent
Tiapleu Classified Forest 280? IV Possible
Guinea Diécké Reserve 640 IV Confirmed recent
Mont Béro Reserve 356 ? Confirmed recent
Tinzou Community Reserve 56 ? Confirmed recent
Ziama Biosphere Reserve 1162 ? Confirmed recent
Déré Forest Reserve ? ? Historic
Liberia Sapo National Park 1800 II Confirmed recent
Grebo National Forest 2603 III Confirmed recent Gola National Forest 980 IV Confirmed recent
Grand Kru-River Gee Proposed
Protected Area ? ? Confirmed Recent
Wonegizi Proposed Protected area 428 ? Confirmed recent
Sierra Leone Gola Rainforest National Park 750 ? Confirmed recent
Loma Mountains Non-hunting Forest
Reserve 333 II? Confirmed recent
Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary 12 ? Confirmed recent Kambui Hills South Forest Reserve ? ? Possible
Outamba-Kilimi National Park 808 II Possible 1 IUCN Protected Area Management Categories (IUCN 2011)
Category Ia: Strict Nature Reserve: protected area managed mainly for science
Category Ib: Wilderness Area: protected area managed mainly for wilderness protection
Category II: National Park: protected area managed mainly for ecosystem protection and recreation
Category III: Natural Monument: protected area managed mainly for conservation of specific natural
features
Category IV: Habitat/Species Management Area: protected area managed mainly for conservation
through management
Category V: Protected Landscape/Seascape: protected area managed mainly for landscape/seascape
conservation and recreation
Category VI: Managed Resource Protected Area: protected area managed mainly for the sustainable use
of natural ecosystems
21
4.7 Current research and conservation initiatives
4.7.1 Landscape level initiatives
The Upper Guinea Forest is an area of high biodiversity significance with high levels of mammal and
bird endemism. It is a major part of the Guinea Forest global hotspot (Bakarr et al. 1999) and one of
WWF’s Global 200 Ecoregions (Guinean Moist Forests; Olson & Dinerstein 1998). It is also recognized
as an Endemic Bird Area by BirdLife International. Conservation International ‘s West Africa Program
has taken a lead on strategic initiatives for the hotspot and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund
(CEPF) has funded numerous landscape-scale projects including forest assessments, GAP analysis,
and corridor assessments (www.cepf.net). Another project with potential relevance to pygmy hippo
conservation was a detailed assessment of the Taï-Sapo corridor (Refisch et al. 2009).
4.7.2 Transboundary initiatives
The distribution maps in section 3.1 show the occurrence of pygmy hippos close to international
borders in several places, underlining the need for transboundary conservation measures. The
“Across the River – A Transboundary Peace Park for Sierra Leone and Liberia” project (ARTP) aims at
establishing an effective management framework for cross-border corridor forests, consisting of
approximately 50,000 ha of unprotected community forests that link the Gola Forest Reserves in
Sierra Leone and the Gola National Forest in western Liberia. The Outamba-Madina ULA transboundary project between Sierra Leone and Guinea may also contribute to pygmy hippo
conservation and the Mount Nimba complex on the Liberia-Guinea-Côte d'Ivoire border is another
area with potential for cooperation.
4.7.3 Côte d'Ivoire
The Taï Hippo Project began in 2009. It is supported by Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS),
the Swiss Center for Scientific Research (CSRS) and IBREAM and works in cooperation with the
University of Cocody-Abidjan. The aims are: to collect information on the distribution of the species
throughout the National Park and monitor its population, and to use the information to define a
conservation management plan. Initial studies include the establishment of camera trapping,
footprint analysis, and dung analysis. The project has also created an awareness raising campaign, to
help educate people about conservation and forest animals, especially the pygmy hippo. An
education programme has begun in primary schools around the park and includes a documentary on
wild pygmy hippos. Preliminary work to determine the optimal method for sample collection for
genetic studies has also begun.
4.7.4 Guinea
N’Zérékoré Forestry Centre is responsible for management of most protected areas in the forest
zone and is thus actively involved in efforts to conserve pygmy hippos in Guinea. The NGO Sylvatrop
has developed a long-term pygmy hippo project in collaboration with the N’Zérékoré Forestry Centre. The project goals are: 1) Determine the conservation status of the pygmy hippo and collect
ecological data required for its long term conservation. 2) Make a significant contribution to the
development of local conservation capacities by training personnel from relevant government
agencies and civil society. 3) Initiate a long term conservation and sustainable management
programme for the pygmy hippo in Guinea. The project will start in April 2011.
22
4.7.5 Liberia
A bio-monitoring programme at Sapo NP was initiated in 2001 by Fauna and Flora International and
the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) and re-established in 2007 along 16 transects. Recent
data on pygmy hippos are reported in Vogt (2011). This programme will be extended to new areas
in 2011. FFI initiated a complementary project in 2010 to use pygmy hippo conservation as a
mechanism to build conservation capacity in Liberia. The main activities will be aligned with the
conservation strategy and standardized practices in pygmy hippo conservation but will include an
analysis of the impact of threats on pygmy hippo populations.
In early 2008, ZSL began collaboration with FFI and the FDA to develop a standardised monitoring
programme for the pygmy hippo, initially in Sapo National Park. This project has three principal aims:
1) a camera trap monitoring programme - using a grid of cameras and repeated surveys to develop an index of change in abundance over time for this and other species in the park (O’Brien et al. 2010,
Collen et al. 2011);. 2) develop training and support for Liberian scientists. 3) test a monitoring
scheme to expand into further areas.
The “Across the River – A Transboundary Peace Park for Sierra Leone and Liberia” project (ARTP)
conducts pygmy hippo surveys in Gola National Forest.
4.7.6 Sierra Leone
The Gola Forest Programme was established in 1990 and restarted activities after the war in 2002. It
is a collaborative project between the Sierra Leone Conservation Society, the National
Commission on the Environment and Forestry, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Since 2008, detailed surveys focusing on pygmy hippo have been carried out in the reserve and
adjacent community areas.
The Across the River Project’s research unit (under the responsibility of the RSPB) is involved in
pygmy hippo conservation. Pygmy hippos are included as a key landscape species in the programme that aims at monitoring the distribution, abundance, threats and migratory patterns in the Liberian
Gola National Forest and the Sierra Leonean community forests in the corridor area (in collaboration
with University of Georgia). Since July 2010 questionnaires have been used to monitor pygmy hippo
conservation status and threats, collect basic ecological data, and survey for new populations. RSPB
is also conducting predictive range mapping studies on pygmy hippos to identify priorities areas for
future research and conservation.
The University of Georgia Pygmy Hippo Project began in October 2008 on Tiwai Island, in the Moa
River. The project is carrying out field studies and conservation education work in local villages.
Camera traps have captured over 100 photos of pygmy hippos. The main objectives are to: 1) assess pygmy hippo populations using camera trapping and radio telemetry to track daily movements,
estimate home range size, and determine habitat use, 2) explore suitable habitat including wildlife
corridors between Gola Forest, Tiwai Island, and the Kambui Hills Reserve, 3) expand environmental
education and awareness in local communities, and 4) create a long-term partnership among all
stakeholders involved in pygmy hippo conservation.
In 2010, ZSL and Njala University initiated a pygmy hippo research and conservation project around
Loma Mountain and intend to expend this to other sites in the country to obtain information of
distribution, abundance and threats.
4.7.7 Captive breeding
The pygmy hippo international studbook is kept at Zoo Basel, Switzerland. On 31.12.2009 there were
23
332 (133 males, 196 females and 3 individuals of unknown sex) pygmy hippos in 134 public zoos and
private collections. A few pygmy hippos may be kept in private or other collections that do not
submit information to the studbook. The current captive population is descended from 61 wild-
caught founder animals, which are very unequally represented in collections. The last wild-caught
individual with a known import date was imported on 22 September 1982. The current captive population shows a skewed sex ratio (40% males, 59% females, 1% unknown) and a relative lack of
young animals. In addition, infant mortality in both sexes is high at 32.5%.
IBREAM and the University of Vienna are working with fifteen zoos in Europe to study the
reproductive biology of female pygmy hippos. The knowledge gained will aid successful captive
breeding. In future it is hoped that this research, in combination with knowledge on nutrition and
husbandry, will inform guidelines on manipulation of the sex of the offspring. IBREAM is also
developing a programme with partner zoos to freeze and store gametes from individual pygmy
hippos to preserve their genetic diversity.
A health and reproduction screening programme has been developed jointly by The Leibnitz Institute
for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin and ZSL, using ultrasound to predict the estrous cycle and
to detect polycystic kidney disease, which is of great concern for ex-situ conservation efforts.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and University of Chester (in UK) are developing
single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genetic markers to clarify the taxonomy of pygmy hippos,
assess the genetic diversity, calculate inbreeding coefficients and clarify the population structure.
A team at Bristol Zoo Gardens is studying energy intake and metabolic rates in pygmy hippos to
provide guidance on optimization of diets.
24
5 THREATS
5.1 Threat assessment Threats to pygmy hippos were initially identified as part of the status review. At the workshop, these
threats were first discussed in a plenary session and then a more focused threat assessment was
carried out. This involved workshop participants working in four groups by range country to identify
direct and indirect threats to the pygmy hippo, gaps in knowledge and resources and other factors
hindering conservation efforts. Threats were prioritized on a scale of 1-4: low, medium, high, and
critical. Each threat identified was written on a card together with the priority score. The cards were
then displayed, discussed and reviewed by all participants, and similar threats grouped into categories. Nine threat categories were identified. These are listed below with additional detail. Only
those scoring high or critical were prioritized and these are listed below.
There was overall agreement that at a region-wide and national scale the two most important direct
threats to pygmy hippos were loss and fragmentation of habitat and poaching. Other threats
included: an inadequate protected area network, institutional weakness, human-wildlife conflict and
climate change. Major gaps in pygmy hippo conservation were lack of human, financial and technical
resources, lack of awareness, lack of knowledge of pygmy hippo ecology and status, and insufficient
regional cooperation. In addition, human factors such as population growth, expansion of
settlements and poverty were recognized as significant underlying drivers of direct threats but their scope lay beyond the remit of a conservation strategy for a single species.
5.2 Habitat loss and fragmentation Deforestation represents the main threat to the quality, extent and continuity of habitat in pygmy
hippo range. It has been estimated that roughly 10 million ha of forest in West Africa may have been lost in the 20th century and around 80% of the original forest area is now an agriculture-forest
mosaic (Norris et al. 2010). The remaining forest blocks are fragmented, leaving pygmy hippo
populations isolated, with demographic consequences and the increased susceptibility of small
populations to local extinction. Fragmentation has made the forests more accessible for hunters and
there is now very little, if any, undisturbed forest in the region safe for wildlife causing the pygmy
hippo to retreat into the diminishing fragmented parcels of forest (Lewison and Oliver 2008).
Two hundred years ago, roughly 65% of Sierra Leone was covered with moist closed forest; it now
covers less than 4%. In Côte d’Ivoire, less than 10% of the original forest remained at the end of the 20th century (East 1999). In Guinea, Ziama and Diécké represent the last two large blocks of closed
canopy forest and most classified forests are severely degraded (Brugière and Kormos 2009). In
comparison, Liberia’s deforestation rates have been relatively low; from 1986 to 2000 the average
deforestation rate was 0.2% per year but this has increased in the last 10 years and is likely to
continue to increase as security has returned to the country and most of the remaining forest is
readily accessible (Christie et al. 2007).
The main causes of deforestation are traditional slash-and-burn cultivation, agricultural expansion by
smallholders, commercial logging, and commercial plantations of rubber, coffee, cocoa and oil palm
(Christie et al. 2007, Norris et al. 2010). Draining swamps to create rice fields also destroys pygmy hippo habitat. Conversion of forest to agriculture is expected to increase along with the growing
human population.
Mining of iron ore, diamonds and many other mineral resources is widespread in the region. This
results in more forest clearance, pollution and increased sedimentation of water courses. A further
negative effect is the potential reliance of miners and their families on bushmeat. Road construction
for mining and logging operations also opens up new areas to hunters.
25
5.3 Poaching Bushmeat is an important source of protein and a significant part of local economies across West
Africa. Pygmy hippos are poached predominantly for their meat and unlike the common hippo, their
teeth have little trade value, but many of their body parts, including the skull, may be used in rituals
or folk medicine (Robinson 1970, Hentschel 1990). The pygmy hippo’s cryptic nature provides a
degree of protection against hunting (Robinson 1971) and in most areas, pygmy hippos are unlikely to be the main target of subsistence hunting but are killed opportunistically, while some
communities avoid hunting them altogether. In Côte d’Ivoire, pygmy hippo meat was confiscated in
only five out of 632 official poaching reports from 1975 to 1983 in the southwestern districts, but
this species has since come under heavy poaching pressure in the eastern part of the Taï National
Park and the N’Zo Protection Zone (Hoppe-Dominik 1999, Roth et al. 2004).
In some areas, commercial poachers target the species, along with other large mammals such as
elephant, forest buffalo and chimpanzee. A study of the bushmeat market in Lola, Guinea, showed
that the species was poached for commercial purposes (Dufour 2002). Another study south of Sapo
National Park, Liberia, found that a single commercial poaching camp had obtained 4 pygmy hippos in one month (Greengrass in prep.). Pygmy hippos have full legal protection in all range countries,
but lack of enforcement of existing laws is a chronic problem.
5.4 Human-wildlife conflict Although seldom reported as an agricultural nuisance, some cases of damage by pygmy hippos to rice and cassava fields have been reported (Roth et al. 2004). This is so far only a local problem but
the potential for conflict is likely to increase, as swamps are converted to rice fields, riparian forests
are cleared and crops are planted closer to the forest edge. There is a possibility that damage caused
by other species such as red river hog Potamochoerus porcus may be blamed on pygmy hippos.
Localised conflicts with fishermen (e.g. through damage to nets) in Sierra Leone were reported
during the workshop.
5.5 Inadequate protected area network Most, but not all the known pygmy hippo populations occur within sites that have some form of
protection. These range in status from full PAs to national forests or classified forests that are not
primarily designed to protect wildlife. Many PAs in which pygmy hippos occur do not have effective
protection and a comprehensive programme to increase management effectiveness, build capacity,
train staff and increase resources, equipment and staffing levels is needed across the region.
5.6 Climate change It was agreed that global climate change potentially represents a threat to pygmy hippos. However,
at present there is an absence of detailed, quantitative data on regional impacts and how these may
affect pygmy hippos, making it difficult to identify or to prioritize actions.
5.7 Civil conflict Civil conflicts in West Africa over the past 20 years have had negative impacts on biodiversity, halting
conservation projects and reducing protection of reserves and national parks. Lewison & Oliver (2008) considered that the effects of national and international conflicts in the region would have an
overall negative effect on the pygmy hippo and Lindsell et al. (2011) detailed the adverse effects of
civil conflict on the biodiversity of Gola Forest in Sierra Leone.
26
5.8 Policy and institutional weakness A series of higher-level issues relating to policy and institutions were identified. The principal factor
was the relatively low position of biodiversity conservation in government priorities, with
development focused on agriculture, commercial forestry and plantations and mining. Legislative
frameworks are in theory adequate but laws and penalties are often outdated , and lack of respect
for the law, weak enforcement and corruption are widespread. The absence of a range-wide Action Plan for pygmy hippos until now was also considered to have hindered conservation efforts.
5.9 Gaps Many gaps affecting the conservation of pygmy hippos were identified and grouped into three
categories: capacity, education and awareness, and baseline data.
The shortage of staff, low levels of training, and lack of financial and technical resources among
management agencies has a serious negative effect on conservation of pygmy hippos and other
biodiversity across the region.
There is low awareness of the protected status and conservation importance of pygmy hippos
among administrations, hunters, and the wider public, and biodiversity is absent from the education
system.
Many aspects of the biology and ecology are unknown. There are still no accurate estimates of pygmy hippo population size either globally or nationally, and the current rate of decline is unclear.
There are no standardized methods for survey and monitoring across the range, but current camera
trapping and other field projects are making, or are expected to make, progress on this issue.
5.10 Lack of regional cooperation Lack of regional collaboration and information sharing and an absence of communication between
government administrations and communities were seen as hindering progress on biodiversity
conservation. There was optimism that the workshop and the pygmy hippo conservation strategy
would help to address this issue.
27
6 PYGMY HIPPO CONSERVATION STRATEGY
6.1 Vision The first stage in the conservation strategy process was to develop a guiding Vision for the pygmy
hippo. Following consideration of Visions from other species strategies and a discussion, drafts were
developed initially by four working groups. Drafts were presented and discussed, the common
elements were combined and a final version agreed by all participants. Participants agreed that the
Vision should apply in perpetuity, that is, without a specified time frame. The final version:
A world where viable populations of pygmy hippos thrive throughout their range in healthy
ecosystems, acting as a flagship species for the Upper Guinea Forest, coexisting in harmony with
human populations, retaining cultural importance, for the benefit of present and future
generations.
6.2 Goal The Goal represents a more immediate, concrete and achievable step that supports and contributes
to the Vision. The Goal was developed in a manner similar to that for the Vision, initially in four
groups. Drafts were reviewed and a composite final version agreed. The Goal was given a 10-20 year
time scale and it contained three elements:
To assess the current status of the pygmy hippo across its range, and ensure the effective
protection of, and connectivity between, known populations.
6.3 Objectives The Objectives are the set of measures needed to achieve the Goal and they should be developed in
response to the main threats to pygmy hippos identified in the threat analysis. Three working groups
each discussed one of the three elements of the Goal (assess current status, protect populations, connect populations) and developed the necessary objectives. The draft Objectives were presented
then discussed and refined by all participants collectively.
Objective 1. Known populations are effectively protected
Objective 2. Status in each range state assessed
Objective 3. Key corridors identified and managed
Objective 4. Poaching pressure on pygmy hippos reduced
Objective 5. Causes of habitat loss mitigated
Objective 6. The regional Protected Area Network is fully effective to meet the needs of pygmy
hippo conservation Objective 7. Pygmy hippos are recognized as a flagship species for the Upper Guinea Forest
ecosystem and an indicator of its health
Objective 8. Mechanisms for regional cooperation on all aspects of pygmy hippo conservation
established
Objective 9. National pygmy hippo action plans produced and endorsed in all range states
Objective 10. The ex-situ population within coordinated breeding programmes is managed to
maximise genetic diversity
Objective 11. The conservation strategy is coordinated and resourced
28
6.4 Actions Three working groups then developed sets of actions needed to deliver each Objective, together
with time frame and measures. The actions agreed are as follows. The full conservation strategy is
presented in a matrix format in Appendix 6.
Objective 1. Known populations are effectively protected Action 1.1 Carry out a threat analysis of each site containing pygmy hippos
Action 1.2 Develop a mitigation plan for each site
Action 1.3 Identify relevant implementing authorities
Action 1.4 Facilitate threat mitigation
Objective 2. Status in each range state assessed
Action 2.1 Identify and prioritize key sites for survey
Action 2.2 Develop standardized field techniques for survey and monitoring
Action 2.3 Build adequate capacity to conduct surveys and monitoring
Action 2.4 Establish long-term monitoring programmes in key sites Action 2.5 Investigate feasibility of fecal DNA analysis to understand population structure,
connectivity and guide population estimates
Action 2.6 Investigate range wide population structures, dispersal and interconnectivity using
genetic analysis
Action 2.7 Clarify the relationship of the Nigerian subspecies through DNA analysis of museum
material
Action 2.8 Investigate recent or current presence in the Nigerian range through a questionnaire
survey
Objective 3. Key corridors identified and managed Action 3.1 Identify potential corridors between known populations through satellite imagery and
ground truthing
Action 3.2 Recommend official recognition and legal status of corridors
Action 3.3 Engage key groups (e.g. communities, media, decision-makers, private sector) in corridor
management
Action 3.4 Develop corridor management plans
Action 3.5 Implement corridor management plans
Objective 4. Poaching pressure on pygmy hippos reduced
Action 4.1 Intensify law enforcement activities against poaching in all key sites Action 4.2 Educate hunters in the conservation importance of pygmy hippos
Action 4.3 Train law enforcement officers at every level
Action 4.4 Support alternative protein source programs where appropriate
Action 4.5 Reinforce cultural aspects of conservation
Action 4.6 Educate consumers, traders and transporters in importance of pygmy hippos
Objective 5. Causes of habitat loss are mitigated
Action 5.1 Engage mining, timber, and agribusiness companies in pygmy hippo conservation
Action 5.2 Promote sustainable land use management and agricultural practices
Action 5.3 Promote alternative livelihood programmes in communities adjacent to pygmy hippo populations
Objective 6. The regional Protected Area Network (PAN) is fully effective to meet the needs of
pygmy hippo conservation
Action 6.1 Review protected area legislation and recommend revisions where needed
29
Action 6.2 Demarcate boundaries of current protected areas
Action 6.3 Carry out a GAP analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of the current PAN
Action 6.4 Identify key sites for protected area status
Action 6.5 Train one biomonitoring team in each protected area
Action 6.6 Ensure effective operations and law enforcement in all protected areas
Objective 7. Pygmy hippo is recognized as a flagship species for the Upper Guinea Forest ecosystem
and an indicator of its health
Action 7.1 Raise awareness of the conservation significance of pygmy hippos among communities,
authorities, media, decision-makers locally, nationally and regionally
Action 7.2 Raise awareness of the conservation significance of pygmy hippos internationally
Action 7.3 Develop range-wide environmental education material for communities and schools
Action 7.4 Integrate environmental education into the school curriculum in all range states
Objective 8. Mechanisms for regional and international cooperation on all aspects of pygmy hippo conservation established within 3 years
Action 8.1 Integrate pygmy hippo conservation within the framework of the Mano River Union
Action 8.2 Develop protocols for data sharing within the region
Action 8.3 Maximize opportunities for regional cooperation including transfrontier initiatives
Objective 9. National pygmy hippo action plans produced and endorsed in all range states
Action 9.1 Identify focal person or agency in each range state to lead the national action planning
process
Action 9.2 Organise stakeholder meeting(s) in each range state
Action 9.3 Draft, review, and finalise national action plans for pygmy hippo in each range state Action 9.4 Secure government endorsement for each national action plan
Objective 10. The ex-situ population within coordinated breeding programmes is managed to
maximise genetic diversity
Action 10.1 Update the pygmy hippo studbook on a regular basis
Action 10.2 Continue research into reproductive biology of pygmy hippos, the biased sex ratio in the
captive population and polycystic kidney disease
Action 10.3 Establish a pygmy hippo gene bank for the wild and captive populations
Action 10.4 Continue to develop genetic markers and the full programme of genetic studies
Action 10.5 Distribute research results regularly to all stakeholders
Objective 11. The conservation strategy is coordinated and resourced
Action 11.1 Create a pygmy hippo conservation website
Action 11.2 Secure adequate financial and human resources to implement the strategy
30
7 IMPLEMENTATION
7.1 Finalizing the conservation strategy Following the meeting, the pygmy hippo conservation strategy document was compiled by IUCN and
translated into French. The draft was circulated to participants for comment then finalized. The final
version will be sent to the four range state governments with a request for endorsement. The
strategy will also be submitted to IUCN Species Survival Commission for formal endorsement.
7.2 Funding Implementing the plan will require substantial financial support. This may be provided by national
governments, multilateral donors or NGOs. Production of a range-wide species conservation
strategy may catalyze action and attract funding from international donors who frequently prefer to
support projects and activities which fall within the structured framework of a prioritized, range-wide plan.
7.3 National Action Plans (NAP) Some regional and landscape-level activities are likely to be important for pygmy hippos but most implementation will take place at national level. The national action planning process is therefore an
important stage in the whole conservation strategy process and national action plans provide an
important mechanism towards national implementation. The IUCN/SSC Species Planning Sub-
committee, Pygmy Hippo Sub-group and several NGOs are available to advise or assist with this
process.
7.3.1 National Action Plan format
Range countries are free to develop their NAP in any appropriate format and layout. However, it will
aid clarity and coordination if NAPs adopt a similar format to the range-wide conservation strategy,
but with each topic developed in more detail as relevant to the individual country. A suggested NAP
format is included in Appendix 8.
7.3.2 Government Endorsement
Once agreed, the NAP should be submitted to the appropriate government department for official
endorsement.
7.3.3 NAP process
The principal steps in the process are:
• Identify stakeholders (government agencies, protected area staff, INGO, NGO, local
community representatives, commercial interests)
• Compile status summary and background information
• Organize and hold a national workshop
• Draft National Action Plan
• Seek comments from all stakeholders
• Finalise the NAP and seek government endorsement
31
8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to the Forestry Development Authority in Liberia and the Zoological Society of
London for hosting the workshop; to Alex Peal, Fauna and Flora International and Making Enterprises for assisting with arrangements for the workshop; to Dr David Mallon for facilitating the
workshop and drafting the strategy document; to Attica Zoo in Greece, the Ecosystem Grants
Programme of the IUCN National Committee of the Netherlands, the IUCN Save our Species (SOS)
Programme, the Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, the SeaWorld and Busch
Gardens Conservation Fund, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the Zoological Society of
London for generously funding the event; to Dr Phillip Robinson for his invaluable assistance in
preparing the status review; to all those who provided location data; and to all the participants at
the workshop for contributing their time and expertise to the development of this strategy. Tim
Bouts, Ben Collen, April Conway, Abdoulaye Diarrassouba, Sylvain Dufour, Robert Hermes, Annika
Hillers, Chloe Hodgkinson, René Kabran, Inza Kone, Rebecca Lewison, John Oates, Karim Ouattara, Dje Francois N’goran, Monique Paris, Alex Peal, Phillip Robinson, F. Schwarzenburger, Beatrice Steck,
Martina Vogt, all made helpful comments on the first draft of the strategy.
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35
Appendix 1. List of participants and contributors
Name Address Email
Ibrahim Bakarr Department of Wildlife Management, School of Forestry &
Horticulture, Njala University, Sierra Leone [email protected]
Moses Beah Forestry Development Authority, PO Box 10-3010,
Monrovia, Liberia
Dickson Chowolo
Forest Cry Liberia Inc, PO Box 3493, Monrovia [email protected]
Ben Collen Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's
Park, London NW1 4RY
Saidou Condé Conservateur, Parc National du Haut Niger, Conakry,
République de Guinée
Cécé Papa Condé Directeur Général, Centre Forestier Nzérékoré, République
de Guinée
John Conteh Conservation and Wildlife Management Unit, Forestry
Division, MAFFS, Sierra Leone
April Conway
930 Wren Court Conyers GA 30012 USA [email protected]
Abdoulaye
Diarrassouba
Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves, Parc National de Taï [email protected]
Paul De Ornellas West and North Africa Conservation Programme,
Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1
4RY
Sylvain Dufour SYLVATROP, 26 Rue de Vannes, hh100, Nantes
Joel Gamys
Conservation Manager, CI, Liberia
Kate Garnett Assistant Director, Conservation and Wildlife
Management Unit, Forestry Division, Sierra Leone
Tommy Garnett Environmental Foundation for Africa, 1 Beach road, Lakka,
Freetown, Sierra Leone
Edward Gbeintor Forestry Development Authority, PO Box 10-3010,
Monrovia, Liberia
Annika Hillers Across the River Project, 38 Maxwell Khobe Street,
Kenema, Sierra Leone
Chloe Hodgkinson
FFI, Jupiter House, Station Rd, Cambridge CB1 2JD, UK [email protected]
Jonathan Johnny School of Forestry & Horticulture, Njala University, Sierra
Leone
René Kabran Ministère de l'Environnement, des Eaux et Forêts /
Direction de la Faune et des Ressources Cynégétiques,
Côte d'Ivoire
Henry Kolié Conservateur de Tinzou, Conakry, République de Guinée [email protected]
Inza Koné Centre Suisse des Recherches Scientifiques 01 BP 1303
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
David Mallon
IUCN/SSC Species Conservation Planning Sub-committee
Mohamed
Mansaray
Conservation and Wildlife Management Unit, Forestry
Division, MAFFS, Sierra Leone [email protected]
Andrew Muana Across the River Project, 38 Maxwell Khobe street,
Kenema, Sierra Leone
Dje Francois
N'goran
Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves, Côte d’Ivoire
36
Karim Ouattara Taï Hippopotamus Project, VSRS, 01 BP 1303 Abidjan 01
Centre Suisse des Recherches Scientifiques en Côte
d’Ivoire
Monique Paris Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht,
Utrecht, The Netherlands
Alexander Peal Society for the Conservation of Nature in Liberia, Capital
Hill, Monrovia, Liberia
Joshua N. Quawah Forestry Development Authority, PO Box 10-3010,
Monrovia, Liberia
Chris Ransom West and North Africa Conservation Programme,
Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1
4RY
Phil Robinson
3755 Sulphur Spring Road, Toledo, Ohio, USA 43606
D.D. Siaffa Executive Director, Conservation Society of Sierra Leone,
18B Becklyn Drive, Congo Cross, Freetown
Amos Smith Society for the Conservation of Nature in Liberia, Capital
Hill, Monrovia, Liberia
Beatrice Steck Zoo Basel, Binningerstrasse 40, CH-4054 Basel, Switzerland
Martina Vogt FFI Liberia, PO Box 10-3010, FDA, Lonestar Comp, Congo
Town, Monrovia, Liberia
Chrissie Wightman West and North Africa Conservation Programme,
Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1
4RY
37
Appendix 2. Workshop agenda
22 November 2010
08:30-09:00 Registration 09:30-10:00 Opening:
Official welcome: Honourable Moses Worgbeh, Managing-Director,
Forestry Development Authority
Introduction to the workshop: Chris Ransom Co-Chair, IUCN SSC Pygmy Hippo Sub-group
Introductions: All participants
10:00-10:30 Species Conservation Strategies and Aims of the Workshop:
David Mallon, IUCN Species Planning Sub-committee
11:00-13:00 Presentations on pygmy hippo projects:
• A Brief History of the Pygmy Hippo. Philip Robinson, University of Toledo
• University of Georgia Pygmy Hippo Project in Sierra Leone. April Conway, University of
Georgia
• Across the River – A Transboundary Peace Park for Sierra Leone and Liberia. Annika Hillers,
RSPB
• Pygmy Hippo Programme in Côte d'Ivoire. Karim Ouattara, Taï Hippo Project
• Pygmy Hippo Conservation at Sapo National Park. Martina Vogt, FFI
• Modelling the Potential Range of Pygmy Hippo in Upper Guinea. Jeremy Lindsell, Graham
Buchanan, Annika Hillers, RSPB
• ZSL Pygmy Hippo Research. Ben Collen, ZSL
14:00-14:30 Videos:
• Pygmy Hippo in Taï NP taken by Tobias Deschner on 16/1/1999
• Pygmy Hippo in Taï NP taken by ‘Marco Polo’ company
14:30-15:00 Introduction to the status review: Chris Ransom, Co-Chair, Pygmy Hippo Sub-group
Introduction to the mapping process: Paul de Ornellas, ZSL
15:00-17:00 Status and maps: Discussion - 4 working groups (by range state)
17:00-18:00 Report back by working groups and general discussion – All participants
23 November
Presentation:
• Protection, Conservation and Sustainable Management of Pygmy Hippo in Guinea. Sylvain Dufour, Sylvatrop
09:30-11:00 Threat analysis: Identification and prioritization of threats and gaps - 4 working groups
[Mapping group continues to refine and digitize distribution maps]
11:30-12:45 Review and discussion of threats - All participants
14:00-15:30 Development of Vision and Goal – 4 working groups
Review of drafts, discussion and agreement on final version- All participants
Development of Objectives – 3 working groups
Review of objectives and discussion - All participants
24 November
0900-11:00 Development of Actions – 3 working groups
Review of actions and discussion - All participants
11:30-13:00 Stakeholder Analysis – 4 working groups (by range state)
[Working group drafts Resolution to Heads of State]
14:00-15:00 Workshop Resolution – presentation and discussion – All participants
18:00 Closing of the Workshop.
38
Appendix 3. Workshop resolution on pygmy hippo conservation
Honourable Heads of State: (alphabetically by name of country) Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone
Secretariat, Mano River Union
Your Excellency
We herewith provide you with a resolution which was unanimously passed by the thirty assembled
delegates to the Pygmy Hippopotamus Conservation Strategy Workshop, which was held in
Monrovia, Liberia, November 22-24th, 2010. The meeting was organized by the Pygmy Hippo Sub-
group of the IUCN Hippopotamus Specialist Group and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), in full
cooperation with the assembled representatives from national agencies from Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea,
Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
The delegate body was comprised of representatives from governmental wildlife management
agencies, regional non-governmental organizations and individual research experts who are working
with the Pygmy Hippopotamus across its range. This meeting is the first of its kind and had as its
objective to comprehensively assess the conservation status of this endangered species and to
formulate a conservation action plan with agreed recommendations for its preservation in the
ecosystems of the four countries concerned (Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone). The
invited delegates were appointed to this task on the basis of their expert knowledge of wildlife
resources in their respective countries as well as their demonstrated knowledge and experience of
the Pygmy Hippopotamus.
The workshop recommends that Pygmy Hippopotamus should be regarded as a flagship species for
the Upper Guinea Forest ecosystem. However, as a result of human activities, the population of this
species has experienced a serious population decline and fragmentation of its historic range. As the
first recommended action of this meeting, we are sending this initial resolution to the highest
authorities in this region and sincerely request that you exercise your authority and wisdom in
endorsing it. We thank you for your support of this group’s efforts and will be advising you and other
appropriate governmental agencies in the region on the final version of the workshop’s findings and
recommendations. In each range country, hunting of Pygmy Hippopotamus is legally prohibited, but
is still widely practiced.
“Be it resolved that the pygmy hippopotamus, an endangered species in West Africa’s Upper
Guinea Forest be, by executive decree, fully protected under national laws and policies.
Furthermore, that all practical efforts be made to communicate to the general populace that
hunting or trapping, by any means, or trading or selling of this species is strictly prohibited.”
Sincerely yours, and on behalf of all the workshop delegates
Christopher Ransom
Co-Chair, Pygmy Hippo Sub-group of the IUCN/SSC Hippopotamus Specialist Group
Programme Manager, West and North Africa Conservation Programme, Zoological Society of
London
39
Appendix 4. National wildlife legislation and government agencies
responsible for pygmy hippo conservation
Côte d'Ivoire
Laws:
• Loi de 2002 Relative à la création et la gestion des PNR de Côte D’Ivoire
• Code de l’Environnement (1996)
• Code de l’Eau
• Loi de 1965 relative à la protection de la faune et exercice de la chasse
• Loi de 1965 Portant code forestier
• And several decrees on implementation [plusieurs decrets d’application]
Government:
Ministère de l’Environnement et des Eaux et Forêts
Guinea
Laws:
• Code Forestier L/99/013/AN – Juin 1999)
• Code de la Protection de la Faune Sauvage et Reglémentation de la Chasse L/97/038/AN-
décembre 1997)
Government:
Ministère de l’Environnement, Eaux et Forêt Développement Durable (MEEFDD)
Direction Nationale des Aires Protégées
Centre Forestier N’Zérékoré
Liberia
Laws:
• National Wildlife Laws of Liberia
• 1988 Wildlife Regulation
Government:
Forestry Development Authority (FDA) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Sierra Leone
Laws:
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (hunting prohibited)
• Forestry Act 1988 (Regulation 1989 related to community forests)
• Environmental Protection Act 2008 (EIAs general biodiversity) Government:
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS)
Ministry of Land, Country Planning and Environment
Ministry of Mineral Resources
Ministry of Local Government and Internal Affairs
Ministry of Energy and Water Resources
Land Officials Department
Environmental Protection Agency
40
Appendix 5. Pygmy hippo conservation stakeholders
Regional
Mano River Union (Technical Advisory Committee on Biodiversity) African Union
UNDP
FAO
IUCN West Africa Office
Multilateral/International Donors
African Development Bank
GTZ (German Technical Cooperation)
USAID
World Bank/GEF
International NGOs
INGOs carrying out work on biodiversity conservation in the Upper Guinea Forest region that may
have relevance to pygmy hippos:
Afrique Nature
BirdLife International (BLI)
Conservation International (CI) West Africa Program
Fauna and Flora International (FFI)
Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP) Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE)
Sustainable and Thriving Environment for West African Regional Development (STEWARD; USAID
Forestry Service Project)
Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF)
National stakeholders
Côte d’Ivoire
Research Institutions:
Cocody-Abobo/Adjamé Universities Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS)
NGOs:
Action pour la Conservation de la Biodiversité (ACB-CI)
SOS Forêts
SOS-Taï
Fondation des Parcs et Réserves
Private Sector:
MOOV-CI, Ets FATAL, THANRY, CHC PALM-CI, SOGB, SAPH
Guinea Research institutions:
Universities
NGOs:
SYLVATROP
Guinée-Ecologie
Local:
Préfectures
Private Sector:
41
CRD, Rio Tinto, BMP, VALE, SOGUI, PAH, BHP Billiton, Forêt Forte
Liberia
Research institutions:
University of Liberia Cuttington University
NGOs:
Society for Conservation of Nature in Liberia (SCNL)
FCL
Farmers Associated to Conserve the Environment (FACE)
Save My Future Foundation (SAMFU)
Skills and Agricultural Development Services (SADS)
Zoological Society of London (ZSL)
Private Sector:
Logging Companies – Euro Logging Liberia, TTC, ALPHA, EJ&J, B&V. Mining Companies – Acelor Mittal, BHP Billiton, Putu Iron ore, Veroleum, Sime Darby, Equatorial
Biofuel, Firestone, Buchanan Renewable Energy
Sierra Leone:
Research institutions:
Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute
Njala University, University of Sierra Leone
University of Georgia
NGOs:
Environmental Forum for Action (ENFORAC- umbrella organization) Gola Forest Programme (GFP)
Across the River Transboundary Project (ARTP)
Environmental Foundation of Africa
Conservation Society of Sierra Leone
RSPB
ZSL
Local:
Schools
Community Groups (women/youth)
Hunters, Fishermen, Farmers Forest management committees (FMCs)
MPs and Local council ward representatives
Chiefdom authorities
Private Sector:
Logging companies
Mining companies (African Minerals, London Mining)
Agribusiness companies
Environmental consultancy firms (CEEMAT)
National tourist board, tour operators and guides
42
Appendix 6. List of acronyms
ARTP Across the River – A Transboundary Peace Park for Sierra Leone and Liberia
CEPF Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund CI Conservation International
CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
CSRS Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire
CSSL Conservation Society of Sierra Leone
EDGE Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered
FDA Forestry Development Authority of Liberia
FFI Fauna and Flora International
GTZ German Technical Cooperation (now GIZ)
IBREAM Institute for Breeding of Rare and Endangered African Mammals
IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature
NAP National Action Plan
NGO Non-Governmental Organisation
NP National Park
OIPR Office Ivoirien des Parcs et Réserves
PA Protected Area
RSPB Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
RZSS Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
SSC Species Survival Commission
WWF World Wildlife Fund
ZSL Zoological Society of London
43
Appendix 7. Pygmy hippo conservation strategy– logical framework
VISION
A world where viable populations of pygmy hippos thrive throughout their range in healthy ecosystems, acting as a flagship species for the
Upper Guinea Forest, coexisting in harmony with human populations, retaining cultural importance, for the benefit of present and future
generations.
GOAL
To assess the current status of the pygmy hippo across its range, and ensure the effective protection of, and connectivity between, known
populations.
OBJECTIVE ACTION TIME FRAME REPSONSIBLE
1. Known populations are
effectively protected
1.1 Carry out a threat analysis of each site containing pygmy
hippos
2014 Government agencies, NGOs
1.2 Develop a mitigation plan for each site
2015 Government agencies, NGOs
1.3 Identify relevant implementing authorities
By 2013 Government agencies, NGOs
1.4 Facilitate threat mitigation
2015 Government agencies, NGOs
2. Status in each range state
assessed
2.1 Identify and prioritize key sites for survey By end 2011 Government agencies, NGOs
2.2 Develop standardized field techniques for survey and
monitoring
By end 2011 FFI, IBREAM, RSPB, University of
Georgia, ZSL
2.3 Build adequate capacity to conduct surveys and By end 2012 FFI, IBREAM, RSPB, ZSL, NGOs,
44
monitoring
universities
2.4 Establish long-term monitoring programmes in key sites By end 2012 IBREAM, FFI, ZSL, Government
agencies, NGOs
2.5 Investigate the feasibility of fecal DNA analysis for
individual identification to understand population structure,
connectivity and guide population estimates
2011-2012 CSRS, FFI, IBREAM, ZSL; OIPR and
University of Georgia (sample
collection)
2.6 Investigate range wide population structure, dispersal
and interconnectivity using genetic analysis
By 2015
Universities, NGOs
2.7 Clarify the relationship of the Nigerian subspecies
through DNA analysis of museum material
By 2015 Universities
2.8 Investigate recent or current presence in the Nigerian
range through a questionnaire survey
By end 2012 NGOs
3. Key corridors identified and
managed
3.1 Identify potential corridors between known populations
through satellite imagery and ground truthing
2012-2013 Government agencies, NGOs
3.2 Recommend official recognition and legal status for
corridors
By 2014 Government agencies, NGOs
3.3 Engage key groups (communities, media, decision-
makers, private sector) in corridor management
From 2012 Government agencies, NGOs
3.4 Develop corridor management plans
By 2014 Government agencies, NGOs,
communities
3.5 Implement corridor management plans
From 2014 Government agencies, NGOs,
communities
45
4. Poaching pressure on pygmy
hippos reduced
4.1 Intensify law enforcement activities against poaching in
all key sites
2011-2020 Government agencies
4.2 Educate hunters in the conservation importance of
pygmy hippos
2011-2020
Government agencies, NGOs
4.3 Train law enforcement officers at every level (minimum
3 people/level/PA)
2011-2015 Government agencies, NGOs
4.4 Support alternative protein source programs where
appropriate
2011-2020 Government agencies, NGOs
4.5 Reinforce cultural aspects of conservation
From 2011 Government agencies, NGOs
4.6 Educate consumers, traders and transporters in
importance of pygmy hippos
From 2011
NGOs
5. Causes of habitat loss are mitigated by 2020
5.1 Engage mining, timber, and agribusiness companies in pygmy hippo conservation
From 2011
ALL
5.2 Promote sustainable land use management and
agricultural practices
From 2011
ALL
5.3 Promote alternative livelihood programmes in
communities adjacent to pygmy hippo populations
From 2011 Government agencies, NGOs
6. The regional Protected Area
Network (PAN) is fully effective
to meet the needs of pygmy
hippo conservation
6.1 Review protected area legislation and recommend
revisions where needed
By end-2012 Government agencies, NGOs
6.2 Demarcate boundaries of current PAs By 2014 Government agencies
6.3 Carry out a GAP analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of
the current PAN
By end 2012 Government agencies, landscape
planners
46
6.4 Identify key sites for PA status From 2011
NGOs, researchers, government
agencies
6.5 Train one biomonitoring team in each protected area By 2014 NGOs, biomonitoring specialists.
6.6 Ensure effective operations and law enforcement in all
protected areas
From 2011
Government agencies
7. Pygmy hippo is recognized as
a flagship species for the Upper
Guinea Forest ecosystem and
an indicator of its health
7.1 Raise awareness of the conservation significance of
pygmy hippos among communities, authorities, media,
decision-makers, locally, nationally, regionally
By 2015 ALL
7.2 Raise awareness of the conservation significance of
pygmy hippos internationally
From 2011 ALL
7.3 Develop range-wide environmental education material for communities and schools
By 2013 Universities, NGOs, researchers, government agencies
7.4 Integrate environmental education into the school
curriculum in all range states
By 2015 Universities, NGOs, researchers,
government agencies
8. Mechanisms for regional
cooperation on all aspects of
pygmy hippo conservation
established
8.1 Integrate pygmy hippo conservation within the
framework of the Mano River Union
2012 Government agencies
8.2 Develop protocols for data sharing within the region
wherever possible
2012 ALL
8.3 Maximize opportunities for regional cooperation
including transfrontier initiatives
From 2011 ALL
9. National pygmy hippo action
plans produced and endorsed
in all range states
9.1 Identify focal person or agency in each range state to
lead the national action planning process
end 2011 Government agencies
9.2 Organise stakeholder meeting(s) in each range state
By 2013 Government agencies, NGOs
47
9.3 Draft, review, and finalise national action plans for
pygmy hippo in each range state
By 2014 Government agencies, NGOs
9.4 Secure government endorsement for each national
action plan
By 2014 Government agencies
10. The ex-situ population in
coordinated breeding
programmes is managed to
maximise genetic diversity
10.1 Update the pygmy hippo studbook on a regular basis
Annually Zoo Basel
10.2 Continue research into reproductive biology of pygmy
hippos, the biased sex ratio in the captive population and
polycystic kidney disease
Ongoing IBREAM, University of Vienna,
Leibnitz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife
Research (Berlin)
10.3 Establish a pygmy hippo gene bank for the wild and
captive populations
2013
Action 10.4 Continue to develop genetic markers and the full
programme of genetic studies
2014 IBREAM, RZZS, University of Chester
Action 10.5 Distribute research results regularly to all stakeholders
Annually IBREAM, Leibnitz Institute, RZSS, University of Vienna,
11. The conservation strategy is
coordinated and resourced
11.1 Create a pygmy hippo conservation website
By 2012 ZSL
11.2 Obtain adequate financial and resources to implement
the strategy
2011-2020 ALL
48
Appendix 8. National Action Plan template
Status summary (Use information contained in the Species Strategy and supplement with additional
detail where available) Distribution
Known sites of occurrence and dates
Potential habitat and sites of possible occurrence
Priority sites identified for field survey
Map (as used in the SCS or an updated if new information is available)
Population
Summarize available estimates
Methods used to calculate them (guesswork, informed guesses, indices of abundance from field
surveys (e.g. field signs, camera trapping)
Threats (refer to the Species Strategy for the main threat headings and evaluate their importance at
national level).
The main direct and indirect threats operating in the country, and prioritized nationally
Gaps that hinder pygmy hippo conservation
Conservation measures
Existing pygmy hippo conservation projects, their scope and duration.
Government agencies responsible for biodiversity conservation
INGOs and NGOs
Protected Areas (size, date of establishment, IUCN category) Transboundary initiatives
Legislation (and additions or amendments needed)
Action Plan
Vision
The Vision agreed for the range-wide pygmy hippo strategy should apply to all range states
Goal
Is the range-wide goal appropriate for the NAP? Or is a new, or additional, national goal needed?
Objectives
Review the range-wide objectives and identify those relevant at national level Refine these objectives as appropriate
Identify any additional objectives needed to achieve the national goal or goals
Actions
Develop detailed actions required to deliver national objectives
Actions in the NAP should be more specific and detailed than those in the range-wide strategy
Actions should specify a time frame and list the agencies and organizations responsible for
implementation
Process for obtaining government endorsement
One page of the report should be set aside for signatures and date of government endorsement.
References