Community rejoices after successful hunt of killer Hippo that killed a palace worker

• Residents of Yauri, Nigeria, celebrate after a weeks-long hunt ends with the killing of a feared hippo and its calf
• The hippo, responsible for a fisherman’s death and widespread fear, was tracked down by local farmers and fishermen
• The successful hunt brings relief to the community, highlighting the ongoing challenges of human-wildlife conflict in the region

Residents of Yauri, a town in north-western Nigeria, are in high spirits after successfully hunting down a rare but feared hippo and its calf.

The hunt, which lasted several weeks, was carried out by local rice farmers and fishermen.

Yauri farmers and fishermen kill deadly Hippo. Photo credit: Winfried via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

The hippo had become a source of terror for the people of Yauri in Kebbi state after it killed a fisherman who worked for the local traditional leader.

This tragic incident prompted the Kebbi state government to order the animal's killing to ensure the safety of the community living along the River Niger.

Yauri residents celebrate after slaying dangerous Hippo

Nigeria’s hippo population has seen a rapid decline over the past few decades, with estimates suggesting there are now around 100 animals, primarily residing in conservation areas.

The hippo in Yauri was tracked down by young men using locally made spears known as “zagos.” After the successful hunt, the carcass was transported by canoe to the palace of one of the Emir of Yauri's high-ranking administrators.

There, it was butchered, and the meat was distributed among the local community.

“We are a town of fishermen and farmers and this hippo has made many to stop going out due to fear of an attack,” resident Sani Yauri told the BBC.

“Apart from killing a member of the emir’s staff, it also seriously injured another person - not also forgetting the damage it regularly does to our farmlands.”

The hippo had often been spotted near the town's paddy fields along the riverbanks. Hippos, the third-largest land mammals, have teeth that can reach up to 50.8cm (20in) in length and can run at speeds of up to 20mph (32km/h).

Despite being herbivores, they can become highly aggressive when threatened or when their habitats are disturbed, resulting in around 500 human fatalities annually in Africa.

Guard fatally attacked by Hippopotamus

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a mother hippopotamus killed Usman Maigadi, a 60-year-old guard at Orchid Farm in the Yauri Local Government Area (LGA) of Kebbi State.

The farm is owned by Muhammad Abdullahi, the Emir of Yauri.

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Source: Legit.ng