Dr Lynne Baker, a United States-based Conservation Biologist, on Friday, appealed to stakeholders in Dadin-Kowa, Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State to protect hippopotamuses in their community.
Baker who made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe said it had become imperative in view of the threats hippos were exposed to.
NAN reports that Baker is in the state to help build a project that would allow human and hippos to co-exist and have less tension and conflict in Dadin-Kowa community.
She said hippos had been classified as vulnerable specie making them threatened, hence the need to protect and preserve them for posterity.
According to her, hippos are important specie that provide ecological value to the aquatic ecosystem, necessitating their conservation by all stakeholders.
She stated that hippos were found in West, East and South Africa but the specie was more threatened in West Africa in view of the high human population in the area having more impact on the fresh water system.
According to her, the biggest threats to hippos are the people that live around reservoirs where hippos are found and since the hippos are of important ecological value, there is need to protect them.
The conservationist stated that she was partnering the Gombe State Wildlife Department and Jewel Environment Initiative (JEI), an NGO, to sensitise all stakeholders in Dadin-Kowa as a way of ensuring the protection of the specie.
She said the project she was in collaboration with the state government and JEI.
She stated that an aspect of the project was to help the community dwellers understand why hippos were in their community, why they (hippos) do what they do and, “we will look for a way to mitigate damage.”
She stated that the project would benefit wildlife, hippos and humans.
Baker who has been working in Nigeria for over 20 years focusing on the ecology and conservation of threatened species like hippopotamus, commended the people of Dadin-Kowa for not being hostile to the specie.
She also commended the state government and JEI for their efforts in planting trees to restore the environment as well as ensuring the protection of wildlife in the state.