Vision and Goals
The Hippo Recovery Initiative aims to reverse the sharp decline of hippo populations in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park by restoring and protecting vital habitats, reducing human-wildlife conflict and supporting long-term population recovery. By securing key waterways and grazing areas, strengthening anti-poaching measures and collaborating with local communities, we seek a future where hippos thrive and continue to anchor the park’s delicate ecosystem.
Partners
Global Humane Conservation Fund of Africa works in partnership with Uganda Conservation Foundation to support the Uganda Wildlife Authority in its long-standing mission to conserve Uganda’s natural heritage.
Uganda Conservation Foundation plays a key role in implementing ground-level conservation programs that combine community engagement, ranger support and habitat restoration.
Uganda Wildlife Authority leads wildlife protection efforts across Uganda’s national parks and reserves, including law enforcement, anti-poaching and habitat management.
Project in Action
The hippo, one of Africa’s most iconic animals, is a focus species of our wildlife protection efforts in Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park. Poaching and habitat encroachment have reduced hippo populations, threatening not just the species but the delicate balance of the ecosystem they help sustain.
Hippos are keystone species. Their riverbank grazing keeps grasses short for other herbivores, and their dung fertilizes algae that underpin fish populations. When hippo numbers decline, the entire ecosystem suffers.
In recent years, Uganda’s hippo populations have plummeted by 60–70%, largely due to poaching for meat and ivory-bearing teeth, habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict. The common hippopotamus is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with particularly steep declines within Murchison Falls National Park.
We’re supporting this project by:
- Habitat Security: Supporting boat-based marine patrols that help rangers protect both aquatic and riverbank hippo habitats.
- Anti-Poaching Support: Strengthening patrols to deter illegal hunting and remove snares along key waterways and grazing zones.
- Community Engagement: Through our Ranger Support Program, training local community members, providing apprenticeships and job pathways that shift livelihoods from bushmeat dependence to sustainable careers in wildlife protection.