Hippo hunting

The iconic image of a hippo shows the animal half submerged, head tipped back and jaws pulled open wide enough to bear the few teeth that sit in its fleshy pink gums. It looks almost as though it were responding to a particularly good hippo joke: What do you call a long-haired hippo? A hippie.

But the sad reality is that the Hippopotamus amphibious doesn't have all that much to laugh about. Its status on theIUCN Red List is vulnerable, and that is in no small part a result of its value to poachers.

Besides habitat loss, the list cites "illegal and unregulated hunting for meat and ivory" as one of the primary threats to common hippos. It said poaching was a particular problem in areas and times of civil unrest.

Ivory rules

Like elephant tusks, hippo's canine teeth are made of ivory and are therefore of great value. But the market appears to be less clandestine, with websites openly selling products made from hippopotamus teeth. One internet seller advertises its products as follows:

"Hippo ivory is finally back in stock after being unavailable for several years, great for scrimshaw, knife handles and carving."

As if by means of justification for the products it lists, its somewhat unusual sales pitch goes on to say: "Hippos are dangerous animals and a serious problem in many parts of Africa, and account for more human deaths per year than crocodiles and poisonous snakes combined."

Fact is, hippos are infinitely more dangerous than their tubby loveable image would lead us to believe.

They are incredibly strong, and though a touch on the pudgy side, can move at surprising speeds, both on land and in water - where they swim and walk along the riverbed or lake floor - and they don't suffer intruders to their space gladly. But does that make them fair game for the hunter's barrel?

Slaughter by design?

In Zambia, the government has announced its intention tocull as many as 2,000 hippos over a period of five years. The plan was suspended in June following pressure from conservationists who argued against the official line.

The government had claimed that a mass killing would prevent anthrax (a disease hippos can spread), tackle overpopulation of the species and ensure there was enough water for other wildlife.

But the suspension was short-lived, and authorities have since said they will press ahead with their plans.

Will Travers, President of the Born Free Foundation, told the "New Scientist" there is a relentless effort to press ahead.  "But at the moment, I can't see how they can justify what's going on."

Conservationists fear that if the cull does go ahead, trophy hunters will be paid to do the job.

The animals are at home in sub-Saharan Africa, where their habitat is constantly shrinking: Collectively common and pygmy hippos number some 125,000 in the wild.

But history has proved the ability of humans to eradicate the species, whose closest living relatives are whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Three earlier types of Madagascan hippopotami are already extinct - a fate fossils suggest occurred as a result of hunting by humans.