Abstract:
Globally, human-wildlife conflict is increasing due to increased encroachment by
human populations into natural habitats. The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus
amphibious) is often involved in human-wildlife conflict in Africa. This conflict is a
major threat to hippos, which are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Nigeria, the
most populous country in Africa, has a relatively small number of hippos – estimated
at 300 individuals. I investigated the perceptions and attitudes of local people toward
a resident population of hippopotami in the Kiri Dam reservoir on the Gongola River
in northeastern Nigeria. I used semi-structured interviews (n = 3) with government
officials and key informants and questionnaires (n = 69) with residents in two
villages (Kiri and Baban Daba). I found that very few respondents (7%) saw benefits
to the presence of hippos in the area, while nearly all respondents said hippos cause
problems, such as damaging crops, disrupting fishing, and threatening lives. Chisquare
tests and logistic-regression analysis showed that respondents who did not
favor the protection of hippos or prefer their presence in the area were likely to be
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residents who had farms along the river, particularly maize farms. Although most
people have negative opinions of hippos, local residents do not actively hunt hippos,
and most residents are aware of laws against killing hippos. Future research should
concentrate on hippo crop-raiding behavior in relation to crop location and crop type.
In addition, conservation efforts may benefit from this research, as well as awareness
campaigns about living near hippos, small-scale ecotourism, and fencing to protect
people.
