The conservation of the hippopotamus in village lands. The wetlands of the Mono (Benin)

Once upon a time, the Mono, one of the southern Departments of Benin, was rich in wildlife and vegetation. The lack of concern for biological diversity in a context of demographic explosion has led the local residents to systematically
eliminate the large wildlife and forests. In spite of this heavy pressure on large wildlife and their habitats, some rare hippopotamus remain in the wetlands. Today these habitats are likely to disappear as the farmers want to cultivate
them. Besides, they consider the hippos to be a nuisance because their subsistence crops very often are damaged when these animals emerge from the water. In addition, a large number of local residents live on the edges of the sites
where the hippopotamus are concentrated. The safeguarding of the hippopotamus and their habitats must take into account the local context, notably the activities of human populations. An ongoing project aims at reconstituting a network of ecosystem “islands” for the preservation of the habitats of the hippopotamus.

Auteur: Jacob Agossevi:

Adressse: Direction Générale des Forêts et des Ressources Naturelles (DGFRN) Tel. : (229) 21-33-06-62

FAX : 21-33-21-92/21-33-04-21 BP. 393 COTONOU (R. BENIN)