Are hippos in trouble? Feds have three years to decide if 'river horses' are endangered
A federal judge has given the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service three more years to determine whether the common hippopotamus should be protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Wild hippos are declining in number and are considered vulnerable to international trade in hippo parts, including the sale of their teeth, skulls, ivory, skin and meat, wildlife conservation groups say. They argue that adding the common hippo to the endangered list would help curb the trade of its parts in the U.S., which continues unchecked.
In 2022, a coalition of conservation groups petitioned the Wildlife Service to add hippos to the list, and in response, Wildlife Service scientists said the evidence showed listing might be needed to protect hippos from poaching and trade. However, the agency missed a 12-month deadline to act on the decision, prompting affiliates of the Humane Society and the Center for Biological Diversity to sue last year, saying the agency was moving too slowly.
On Monday, a judge approved a stipulated agreement among the parties that requires the Wildlife Service to decide by July 27, 2028, whether to add the common hippo to the list, the Humane Society of the United States said in a news release.
“The iconic hippo deserves better than to be traded as parts and frivolous souvenirs, so I’m relieved these animals will finally get a decision on protections,” said Tanya Sanerib, international legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “While these delightfully chunky creatures at least have a deadline now, overall things are moving too slowly to protect imperiled wildlife.”
What is known about hippo populations?
Hippos play an important role in ecosystems and have been described as the “most ecologically influential African megaherbivore (huge wild animals), a trio of international scientists wrote in a study published in “Biological Conservation” in January.
But accurately estimating how many are left has been a challenge, stated the study, written by Hannah Lacy at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom and two co-authors.
Across their range, hippos may be declining at 6% to 8% a year, the scientists said. Estimates of hippo populations across Africa have varied wildlife, from 115,000 to 192,000 over the past decade.
The study suggested standardizing survey methods and making use of newer technologies to try to do more accurate counts.
The Wildlife Service noted in its initial response that wild hippos were historically found across Africa in more than three dozen countries, but are no longer found in Algeria, Egypt, Liberia and Mauritania.
Stemming the trade in hippo body parts
The Humane Society groups reported conducting an undercover investigation in 2022 that found thousands of hippo items for sale in the U.S., including belts, shoes and purses.
The U.S. is the primary driver of demand for hippo products, responsible for nearly half of global imports between 2019 and 2021, the groups say. “At least 3,081 hippos were killed to meet U.S. demand between 2009 and 2018, and the popularity of hippo products has continued.”
“To halt the surging tide of the global extinction crisis, the U.S. needs to dedicate far more resources, so it isn’t just sticking its finger in the dike," Sanerib stated.
The U.S. needs to "take drastic steps to reduce its part in the species’ decline," stated Gillian Lyons, director of regulatory affairs for the Humane Society Legislative Fund.
Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate change, wildlife and the environment for Paste BN. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X.