Elijah Kpaal
The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, is under increasing threat in Ghana, particularly within the Black Volta Basin. The basin has experienced significant ecological changes resulting from the construction of the Bui Dam and the rapid spread of illegal mining activities (Bempah et. al). As a result, hippos have been forced to move upstream from the well-protected areas of Bui and Wechiau to the unprotected stretches around Ketuo-Gengenkpe areas of the basin.
The Ketuo-Gengenkpe section has no formal conservation framework or local governance structures. Farming and fishing now extend directly onto the riverbanks, creating constant encounters between hippos and people. In 2023, two hippos were killed in Ketuo and Sonne, with some eight farmers reported injured (unpublished WD field reports). Without urgent intervention, such retaliatory killings could destroy one of the few remaining hippo populations in this part of Ghana.
This project aims to respond to three major challenges: The first is the lack of reliable ecological information about the hippos in the Ketuo-Gengenkpe area. There is a lack of verifiable data on their population, making it difficult to design effective conservation measures. The second challenge is the growing frequency of conflict between people and hippos, driven largely by the expansion of farms and settlements close to the river. The third challenge is the absence of any community-based structure to support coexistence and conservation action.
My interest in undertaking this project stems from my first-hand experience and appreciation of the extent of the conflict and its devastating impacts on both humans and hippos, leading to anti-crop-raiding patrols in the area.
Through this project, I hope to generate critical ecological data, engage local communities, and build a collaborative framework that ensures the long-term protection of hippos and promotes peaceful coexistence along the Black Volta Basin.