Human-hippopotamus conflict around the southern Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes: Abaya and Chamo

Hippopotamus amphibius, the third-largest land mammal, is increasingly threatened by habitat loss and escalating human-hippo conflict (HHC), contributing to its classification as a vulnerable species. This study assessed the types, causes, extent, and impacts of HHC around Lakes Abaya and Chamo in southern Ethiopia. It also examined local mitigation strategies and community perceptions toward conservation. Data were collected from January to July 2024 through direct field observations, focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews with affected households. HHC was reported in all study areas, with crop damage being the most common form of conflict, followed by competition with livestock for grazing land and occasional human injuries. Major contributing factors included agricultural expansion, overgrazing along lake shores, wetland degradation, sediment-induced waterlogging, and increasing human settlement in hippo habitats. Frequently damaged crops included maize (Zea mays), teff (Eragrostis tef), cassava (Manihot esculenta), and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). On average, households experienced an annual crop loss of 726 kg. Common deterrent methods included fire, burning torches, digging ditches, and constructing fences. The severity of crop damage varied by proximity to water, crop maturity, hippo density, and community involvement in mitigation efforts. HHC contributed to food insecurity, school absenteeism, psychological stress, increased malaria exposure, and greater labor burdens, all of which negatively influenced attitudes toward hippo conservation. Addressing these challenges requires awareness-raising, livelihood diversification, and sustainable, community-based land and wildlife management strategies to support long-term conservation efforts.