National Hippo Day 2025 is on Saturday, February 15, 2025: if it was national hippo on a billboard day, what would u do?

Saturday, February 15, 2025 is National Hippo Day 2025. SL National Hippo Day (February 15th) SL National Hippo Day

cry.... because I wanted a hippopotamus for Christmas and I didn't get one!

Will hippos ever become extinct?

Unfortunately, it's a strong possibility. :-(

World's biggest hippo population decimated

Friday 29 August 2003

A shocking new census shows a 95 per cent decline in hippo populations in Virunga National Park, formerly home to the world's biggest population.

Less than 30 years ago, over 29,000 hippos lived in this world heritage site on the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This year's census shows that only 1,300 remain. The census was carried out by the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN), WWF, and other conservation organisations during March and August.

There is increasing international demand for hippo canine teeth in the illegal ivory trade. The census showed that armed factions are killing hippos in shockingly high numbers for their meat and teeth in response to this growing trend.

"This is disastrous news for the hippo," said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF International's Species Programme. "Unless this trade is closely controlled and poaching is stopped, hippos will be threatened with extinction. WWF urges the government to take advantage of recent peace agreements and to put into place proper planning and management of the country's natural resources."

Until this year, the Park has been at the heart of interfactional fighting, preventing ICCN and WWF from working in significant areas. WWF calls on the DRC authorities to work with conservation groups to stop poaching hippos in the Park and to conserve wildlife.

"Hippos are extremely important in maintaining the ecological balance in rivers and lakes and nearby grasslands," says Marc Languy of WWF's Eastern Africa Regional Programme. "Hippo dung provides essential basic elements for the food chain, particularly for fish. The loss of more than 27,000 hippos in the past few decades is a double blow: fish catches have dwindled and the freshwater ecosystems are losing hundreds of tons of nutrients every day. Lake Edward supports over 20,000 people living around the Park who depend on fish for their livelihood."

The need for long-term protection of national parks and other valuable protected areas will be at the heart of the forthcoming 5th World Parks' Congress in Durban, South Africa (8-15 September).

What national park is the best in south africa?

I like the Kruger Park, it's SA's biggest game reserve and is home to the The Big Five (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo), it's also home to cheetah, Hyena and Wild dog. Game viewing has a lot to do with luck and being at the right place at the right time, but in my experience you should get to view all of the big 5 over a 4 day period or so. You might be very lucky and get to see everything in one day or your 4 days will pass with you still needing a cheetah to complete the list.

I was there over the weekend and managed to see all of the big 5, Hyenas and of course all the smaller game as well. I however missed out on Cheetahs and Wild dogs this time.

A warning on the Kruger National Park though - its really well worth the trip but the traffic around a Lion or Leopard sighting can be frustrating with everybody trying to get a good look. On the plus side if your not adept at spotting Lions in the bush the large congregation of cars is a dead give away that something big has been spotted. I usually stick to to the gravel roads to avoid the traffic, that way if I spot something big I can enjoy it in peace.

As an alternative the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Reserve is home to all the same animals that the Kruger has except perhaps certain species of antelope. The Game reserve is smaller and there are much less other tourists to compete with for good sightings. As with the Kruger National Park, I've been to Hluhluwe Umfolozi and managed to see everything on my list in one day and on other days I've had to go home desperately disappointed because I only managed to see 2 of the big five and all the small game. As an added Bonus the Game park is very close to St Lucia Estuary and if you do not spot a Crocodile or a Hippo in the Game reserve you can drive to St Lucia for a certain sighting, the Crocodiles and Hippos are always around. If you do decide to visit this Game Reserve I'd recommend you start your search for Lions and Cheetahs in the Southern part of the park at a place called the Sontuli Loop (Buy a Map when you get there - it's R30), most (about 70%) of the Lion and Cheetah sightings I've seen in this game Park has been in this area. It's also the only place I've ever spotted a black Rhino, they are very rare, so you probably shouldn't expect to see one.