Hippopotamus populations are declining across Africa due to habitat loss and poaching; zoo programs support conservation through funding, research, and public education.
Hippo conservation is an area where zoo programs can make meaningful in-situ contributions. Pygmy hippo conservation is particularly urgent — with fewer than 3,000 individuals and a poorly understood ecology, captive population management and field research are both critical. Zoo-funded camera trapping programs in West African forests have produced the first quantitative population estimates for pygmy hippos in some range areas. Common hippos face threats from both habitat loss (drainage of wetlands and rivers) and bushmeat poaching. Zoo programs that contribute a proportion of their operating costs to field conservation programs create genuine linkage between captive welfare and wild population protection, justifying the ethical costs of keeping large, semi-aquatic megafauna in captivity.