Hippopotamus of the W-Arli-Pendjari-Oti-Mandouri-Keran Ecosystem. West Africa. Status, distribution and conservation issues

peer reviewedFor the first time in April 2003, an aerial total wildlife count of the entire W-Arli-Pendjari-Oti- Mandouri-Keran (WAPOK) Ecosystem, the largest savannah ecosystem of West Africa, has been conducted. During this survey, Hippopotamus have been observed 51 times, totaling 696 individuals. An average of 13.86 ± 16.73 individuals was noted. The group size varied between 1 and 65 individuals. In the WAPOK ecosystem, the future of hippopotamus is ensured by the tourism activity in the area and the redistribution of tourism revenue to human communities living around the ecosystem, thanks to several conservation project, but more certainly, to the conservation initiative of several private stakeholders