Residents of a town in northwestern Nigeria are celebrating the successful hunting and killing of a rare and feared hippopotamus, along with its calf, by rice farmers and fishermen following a hunt that lasted several weeks.
The people in Yauri, located in Kebbi state, have been living in fear of the hippopotamus ever since it killed a fisherman employed by the local traditional leader. In response, the Kebbi state government issued an order for the animal to be killed in order to ensure the safety of the community along the River Niger.
The hippopotamus population in Nigeria has significantly declined over the past few decades. Estimates suggest that there are now only around 100 of these animals, mainly residing in conservation areas.
The hippopotamus in Yauri was found and killed by young men using locally made spears known as “zagos.”
Its carcass was then transported by canoe to the palace of one of the Emir of Yauri’s high-ranking administrators, where it was slaughtered and the meat distributed among the local community.
Sani Yauri, a resident, expressed relief, stating, “We are a town of fishermen and farmers, and this hippo has caused many to stop going out due to fear of an attack.”
“In addition to killing a member of the emir’s staff,” he continued, “it also seriously injured another person, not to mention the damage it regularly inflicts on our farmlands.”
The area near the town has many paddy fields along the riverbanks, where the hippo had been occasionally sighted.
Images of the deceased animal have been widely circulated on social media, eliciting mixed reactions. Some commend members of the local community for standing up for themselves, while others voice concerns about the animal’s welfare.
The common hippopotamus is included on the red list of threatened species compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Hippos are the third-largest land mammal, and their teeth can grow up to 50.8cm in length. Despite being herbivores, they can reach speeds of up to 20mph (32km/h) and become highly aggressive when they feel threatened or when their habitats are disturbed. This results in around 500 human fatalities in Africa each year.