In the drought, the river dried up and the herd of hippos got stuck in the mud – 2024-04-28 09:30:03

A severe drought has occurred in the southern part of the African continent. Due to the El Nino type of weather, the nature of the countries in the region is badly damaged and crop production is disrupted. In such a situation, the biodiversity of this region is also in crisis.

It is known that the big river Thamalakane in South African country Botswana has dried up due to drought. And hundreds of hippos are stuck in the mud of the river. The animals are at risk of death in adverse environment. The local wildlife conservation authority told AFP news agency on Friday (April 26).

AFP reports that the Thamalakane River, which runs through the southern tip of the Okavango Delta, which consists of vast wetlands in northern Botswana, has dried up. As a result, herds of hippos are forced to move closer to the tourist town of Maun in search of natural water.

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In Botswana’s capital Gaborone, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) spokesperson Lesego Moseki said a major river had dried up and the animals were in critical condition.

He also said that the vegetation on both sides of the river has become weak. And the hippos living in the swamps of the northwestern district of Ngamiland depend on the water from Thamalakan. But because the river has dried up, the hippos here are stuck in the mud. We are now investigating how many hippos have died.’

Hippos have thick skin but are quite sensitive. They need to bathe regularly and live in humid areas to avoid the sun. Even without water, hippos can become aggressive and move closer to human settlements in search of water.

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Botswana is home to the largest population of hippos living in the wild. According to a survey by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are approximately 2,000 to 4,000 hippos in the country.

Severe drought has also occurred in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi this year. Millions of people in these countries are constantly struggling to cope with hunger pangs. Countries have already declared a national disaster in view of the situation.

Sources: AFP, NDTV

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