Docks of hippos at risk in Namibia ‘s dried-up water hole

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 08:25 am

Dozens of hippopotamuses are caught in a shrinking pool of mud and water in a recreation reserve in Namibia and are at risk of dying of hunger and thirst, the Daily News online booklet mentioned on Saturday.

The pool, in the Wuparo Conservancy about 900 km (600 miles)northeast of the capital Windhoek, was fed from a close by river however a extended drought has dried up the source, the News said, quoting the supervisor of the close by Livingstone flora and fauna camp.

Several hippopotamuses have been stuck for months in the pool.

More than 40 are believed to be there now, the manager said. The camp has been assisting the conservancy to pump water into the pool to hold the beasts alive.

“This has worked so a long way but we desperately need monetary help to cowl the fee of petrol or solar installation, for the pump,”he said.

One hippo calf has already died, the supervisor said.

He did no longer respond to calls or text messages from Reuters.

Namibia is acknowledged globally for its animal conservation efforts, with almost 40% of its land underneath conservation management.

“We have been alerted of the state of affairs of the hippos. We have been now not conscious that the hippos were in a vital state,”Romeo Muyanda, a spokesman for the environment, forestry and tourism ministry, said.

“Now that we know, we have dispatched our team to go and inspect and see what would be the first-rate solution,” he said.

(CGTN)