SURVIVAL OF THE PYGMY HIPPOPOTAMUS

Status

There are probably no more than a few thousand Pygmy hippopotamuses remaining. The pygmy hippopotamus is extremely rare in the wild.
Their primary threat is loss of their forest habitat due to the timber industry. In addition, the hippos have been hunted extensively for food and trophies (teeth),
and are often killed to prevent the damage they can do to riverside gardens.
Political and civil unrest in the region also threatens the pygmy hippopotamus survival. The Sarpo National Park in Liberia provides suitable habitat for the pygmy hippopotamus, providing some hope for their survival in the future.
The Nigerian population may already be extinct.

Today, the pygmy hippopotamus is listed on Appendix II of CITES. IUCN classifies them as “Vulnerable” and the pygmy hippopotamuses in Nigeria as “Critically Endangered.”