The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism states that the death toll of hippopotamuses in the Zambezi region has increased to five.
This follows the death of three more hippos in the past few days.
They are part of 130 hippos stranded in a shallow pool of water in the Munambazo pool in the Muyako area of the region.
Speaking to The Namibian today, the environment ministry’s spokesperson Romeo Muyunda noted that these hippos are suspected to have died of starvation, as there is insufficient grazing for them or possible anthrax due to the low water levels in these ponds.
He added that to save the remaining hippos, they started to drill a borehole to pump water for them.
“We are hoping to pump water till a sufficient level for them to survive. This pond is not only sustaining the lives of these hippos, but other wild animals and surrounding communities’ livestock are drinking from it. We will continue to monitor the situation of these hippos,” he said.
Furthermore, Muyunda added that they will also pump water for other hippos in the Sinde pool in the same area to avoid similar death reports of hippos.
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