WINDHOEK, June 12 (Xinhua) — Namibia is scrambling to save approximately 135 hippopotamuses stranded in a muddy pool in the Chobe River in Salambala Conservancy as severe drought grips the region.
Government officials have been pumping water into the pool to save the hippopotamuses, which have no other water sources.
Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta on Wednesday underscored the severity of the crisis, noting that the hippopotamuses are stranded because the river has dried up.
“These animals are in a critical condition, so we need to add more resources, such as boreholes, to save these and other wild animals in areas where rivers are drying up,” Shifeta said.
Shifeta emphasized the need for international cooperation, particularly with neighboring Botswana, to address the situation. “We need to speak to the Botswanan authorities to assist. We also need to drill more boreholes to save not only the hippos but also other wild animals in the area.”
The current crisis highlights the severe effects of climate change, Shifeta said, comparing it to a similar event in 2019 when about 90 hippopotamuses were stranded.
“This is worse. Water levels in these rivers are decreasing and getting worse. The situation is getting worse in other places as well, so we have to find a way for these animals to migrate to other deeper ponds,” he said.
The Namibian government is working urgently to mitigate the situation and prevent further wildlife casualties as drought conditions persist across the region, he said.
This situation comes as Namibian regional leaders have raised alarms about rural water sources drying up at a concerning rate due to drought.
