Hippos in the Niger River

The Niger River Delta offers excellent habitat for Hippopotamus. Hippos in the Niger River are particularly concentrated at the Niger inner delta where the lush vegetation provides ideal eating ground. Hippos in the Niger River are found in lakes, swamps and mangroves of the delta. The thick and lush vegetation of the delta makes good eating for hippopotamuses of Niger and their smaller and rare pygmy hippos.

As the swaps and lakes offer ample food for these giant animals, a large variety of hippos inhabit the region. The types of Hippos in Niger delta are the rare pygmy hippos and the normal hippopotamus. The pygmy hippos of Niger Delta are very rare and found in few places across the globe. These rare species are found mainly in the Western African swamps. The other member of the hippopotamus family that dwells in the Niger Delta region is the common hippopotamus. The weight of these hippos ranges from 4,000 to 8,000 lb.

Due to the rapid growth of population, pollution made by the industrial and domestic wastage, oil spill, industrialization and mostly the urbanization of the coastal region, the life of these hippos in the Niger River has been in great danger.