Hippo t shirts

Most people do not realize it, but in 2006, the Hippo went on the IUCN's (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list of threatened species. This is one step away from the endangered species list. Outside of zoos and animal rescue sanctuaries, Hippos are only found in Africa. Now, due to exploitation and habitat loss, their numbers are declining at an alarming rate.

Some experts are saying that the number of Hippos has declined by more than half since 1994. Although these numbers are only as good as the wildlife protection agencies from each country that report them, there is no doubt that there has been a significant reduction in their numbers since 1994.

One of the main reasons for the severe decline is due to illegal and unregulated hunting. The Hippos are killed for their meat and for the ivory in their canine teeth. This illegal activity occurs more regularly in African countries that are experiencing civil unrest. The animals are a protected species, but unfortunately many of them live in countries where the governments that are expected to protect them, cannot even protect the citizens that live in those countries. As you can probably tell, Hippopotamus are low on the priority list.

There are a number of animal rescue sites that deal specifically with Hippopotamus. Simply go to google and type in hippo rescue and that should start you on your way. I caution people, some of these sites are based out of certain countries that are known for internet scams. Please be very careful and do some research before donating money. I am currently looking into a few different Hippopotamus rescue sites and will post their links soon.