7 hippopotamuses were killed in 2019 and 10 people died, killed by hippopotamuses. At a time when some inhabitants are screaming for the rendering of these aquatic animals out of harm's way, the Burundian Office for Environmental Protection (OBPE) are crying out for the disappearance of this species.

The Rusizi National Park and the coastline of Lake Tanganyika contain various species. Among them, the most endangered are the hippopotamuses.

According to Berchimans Hatungimana, Director General of the Burundian Office for Environmental Protection OBPE, Rusizi is home to 320 hippopotamuses. These numbers are constantly decreasing. Since 2019 to the present day, 10 people have died and 5 injured by these mammals, in various provinces of Burundi.

At its core, the conflict between human-hippopotamus. This director general considers it necessary to plan a series of sensitizations among the population, calling on them not to continue to threaten these animals.

Is their marketing legal?

In Burundi, the law does not allow the breeding of wild animals. Likewise, the marketing of the meat of these animals is not authorized. “Imagine selling the meat of an animal that lives in a natural environment, without knowing what disease this animal may have contracted. For the moment, the OBPE is campaigning for the protection of these species so that they can in turn attract tourists and thus bring in foreign currency. ” Explains Berchimans Hatungimana.

Whatever the reason, shooting a hippopotamus without authorization is a crime even if some people continue to act in self-defense.