Hippos And Humans: Human-Wildlife Conflict At The Kiri Dam, Northeastern Nigeria

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 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.