The NEWS (Monrovia)
31 March 2008
Monrovia — The sudden appearance in Liberia's Sapo National Park of a pygmy hippopotamus thought to be dwindling in population - thanks to a unique camera trap - ignited hope and high expectations in the minds of many conservationists that all was not lost at all for the survival of one of the most elusive and secretive large mammals on the earth.
According to the Forestry Development Authority (FDA), what gave rise to this expectation was based on speculations of this endangered species in Liberia's forest.
The release said it all started when a team comprising the Zoological Society of London - ZSL - led by Dr. Ben Collen, Flora and Fauna International - FFI, and Liberia's Forestry Development Authority, undertook extensive monitoring of the Sapo National Park in Liberia to find the endangered pygmy hippopotamus.
The team's first task to set up a network of camera traps positively yielded fruits within the first three days when images of wild pygmy hippos were recorded.
FDA Managing Director John T. Woods, having received the information couldn't conceal his excitement when he remarked, "Until this camera trap experience I was pessimistic about the existence of the presence of the pygmy hippopotamus at Sapo. The results only confirm the richness of the biodiversity of the Liberian forest. We finally recognize and preserve the true worldwide biological value of Liberia's forests."
According to the team, the camera traps will remain in place as part of an ongoing monitoring program of species. Information gathered from the exercise will be used to produce a population estimate of species and determine the number of species still facing threats from poachers and habitat degradation.
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