Hippos trapped in mud due to drought in Botswana

(ANSA) – CITADEL DEL CAPE, APRIL 29 – A serious drought is underway in southern Africa which experts say is mainly caused by the El Niño climate phenomenon. Crops are threatened and a famine is underway which afflicts a large part of the population, but animals are also suffering very serious consequences. Herds of hippos risk dying of thirst and heat in Botswana because they remain trapped in the swamp where there used to be water. Heartbreaking images showing groups of animals covered in mud in a desperate attempt to cool off were published by the English Daily Mail and broadcast by some television networks including France24. While seasonal flooding normally makes the Okavango Delta a lush habitat for wildlife, this year the drying of the Thamalakane River has forced hippos to head for natural water reserves near the tourist town of Maun or risk dying from dehydration and exhaustion. Hippos have thick but sensitive skin, so they live in normally humid areas with access to bodies of water and must bathe regularly. Without water, they can become aggressive and are forced to get closer to villages. Local authorities have proposed that the hippos be moved to reserves to avoid conflicts with humans. Botswana is home to one of the largest populations of wild hippos in the world, estimated to be between 2,000 and 4,000 individuals by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (HANDLE).