Hippos Ecology, Conservation and Management in the Ruzizi Delta, Northern End of Lake Tanganyika, in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo

ABSTRACT

The ecology, conservation and management of the hippos of the Ruzizi Delta were investigated during the years 2019-2021, particularly during the months of April, July and October 2019. The average hippos were 449 including 132 in the Ruzizi Congolese Delta and 317 in the Rusizi Burundian Delta. In the Ruzizi Congolese Delta, the density of hippos per sampling site was: 131 hippos / km2 in the Small Ruzizi River Mouth, 74 hippos / km2 in Vugizo, 56 hippos / km2 in the Kyamvubu pond, 34 hippos / km2 in the pond of Nyangara, 12 hippos in the marshes of the village of Kahorohoro, and finally, 4 hippos / km2 in the marshes of the immigration post offices of Kavimvira and on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in Kilomoni 2. On the other hand, in the Rusizi Burundian Delta, the densities of hippos by sampling site were: 192 hippos / km2 in the Great Rusizi River Mouth, 159 hippos / km2 at the Great Rusizi River Bridge, 115 hippos / km2 in Vugizo, 99 hippos in the ponds of Mukartutsi 1 & 2, and finally 11 hippos / km2 in the marshes near the Gatumba Migration Post Offices. The average density was 115 hippos / km2 in the Rusizi Burundian Delta and only 45 hippos / km2 in the unprotected Ruzizi Congolese Delta. Student's t test clearly demonstrates that this difference is highly significant (t cal = 28.427; DL = 10; p <0.05). The study recommends the creation of a community reserve to protect the wetlands of the Ruzizi Congolese Delta which will be submitted to the Ramsar Secretariat for designation as a Congolese Ramsar site for the sustainable conservation of hippos and the transboundary biodiversity of the Ruzizi Delta, the northern part of Lake Tanganyika inscribed on the UNESCO heritage list.

Keywords: hippos of the Ruzizi Delta, ecology of hippos, conservation of hippos, management of hippos, density of hippos.

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