Pygmy Hippo Update – Lisa Rijkers

Hi everyone, my name is Lisa Rijkers, a Master Animal Science student at Wageningen University & Research with a specialisation in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation. I am currently working on my master’s thesis in collaboration with IBREAM! I have gotten the unique opportunity to be involved with IBREAM’s pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis), or pygmy hippo hereafter, project.

Can the use of appeasing pheromones from African wild dogs improve pack bonding and survival?

African wild dogs live in highly social and hierarchical groups. However, intra-pack aggression, injuries and even mortalities may occur during temporary separation of individuals from the pack, during new pack formations and after translocation events both in captive and free-living animals. Pheromones are naturally occurring chemicals that are released by one animal that act to … Read more “Can the use of appeasing pheromones from African wild dogs improve pack bonding and survival?”

Pygmy Hippo Awareness Activities (2018) 

On Tuesday, May 29th, 2018, the 2018 edition of the Hippo day was organized in the village of Ponan, located at 4 km south of Taï. As usually, primary schools were at the heart of the event. Our strategy is that by creating nature awareness in the young generation, in time nature awareness will become … Read more “Pygmy Hippo Awareness Activities (2018) “

Being top dog doesn’t guarantee better sperm in African wild dogs

IBREAM team members (including researchers from JCU’s state-of-the-art Gamete and Embryology (GAME) Laboratory) have a plan to help low-ranked African wild dogs become part of the breeding cycle and help ensure the endangered species survive. The species (Lycaon pictus) is highly endangered, with a complex pack hierarchy in which subordinate animals usually do not breed … Read more “Being top dog doesn’t guarantee better sperm in African wild dogs”

Pygmy Hippos in Taï Forest 2017/2018: update and first impressions

Since I started to study for my first degree in biology, I heard a lot about Taï National Park (TNP) in Ivory Coast. Indeed, this is the biggest primary rainforest of West Africa and different endemic species live there as the Jentink’s duiker (Cephalophus Jentinki), the white-breasted guineafowl (Agelastes meleagrides) and 8 monkey species as … Read more “Pygmy Hippos in Taï Forest 2017/2018: update and first impressions”

Pygmy Hippo PhD 2017 Summary

The pygmy hippopotamus is endangered in the wild and has been exhibited in zoological collections since the early 1900s; however, it remains one of the most little known and poorly understood large mammal species in the world. Studies of its biology, physiology and ecology have been limited, both by the often inhospitable nature of its … Read more “Pygmy Hippo PhD 2017 Summary”

Freezing breakthrough offers hope for African wild dogs

James Cook University researchers have helped develop a new way to save endangered African wild dogs. IBREAM team members have successfully developed a sperm freezing technique for the species (Lycaon pictus). The highly efficient pack hunters have disappeared from most of their original range across sub-Saharan Africa due to habitat destruction, human persecution and canine … Read more “Freezing breakthrough offers hope for African wild dogs”

Ethiopian Wolf Semen Banking Expedition 2014-2017

The Ethiopian Wolf is one of the most endangered animals in the world and found only in Ethiopia. Because of different endangering factors prevailing in the wolf habitat, this animal has attracted the interests of conservation groups around the world.   Workshops and training The tangible jointly taken step by the College of Veterinary Medicine … Read more “Ethiopian Wolf Semen Banking Expedition 2014-2017”

About IBREAM

By combining conservation with cutting-edge reproductive science, IBREAM is developing tools that could mean no mammal need ever be lost to extinction... Read More

OUR CURRENT PROJECTS

The Pygmy Hippo

Pygmy Hippos are elusive, solitary forest animals, listed as Endangered by IUCN. Their habitat has been eroded to such an extent that they are now restricted to just a 5,000 km² area of West Africa and in 1994 approximately 3000 animals were estimated to exist in the wild, although this is now...

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The Ethiopian Wolf

The Ethiopian Wolf is found only in the Ethiopian highlands, mainly the Bale Mountains and the Semien Mountains. As the top predator in these areas, it plays a vital role in the local ecosystem and references to it can be found in Ethiopian literature dating back to the 13th century. But this...

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The African Wild Dog

Approximately 6600 adult African wild dogs remain in the wild and this number continues to decline. However, not enough is known about the reproductive biology of the species to allow an effective program of assisted reproduction. IBREAM is researching African wild dog reproduction to help prevent the species from being lost forever.

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The African White Rhinoceros

The white rhino is facing a desperately uncertain future. Demand for its horn for use in traditional medicine is increasing which means that a white rhino is a valuable kill for poachers. This exerts huge pressure on the dwindling population, which is classified as “Near Threatened” on the...

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LATEST UPDATES

Pygmy Hippo Update – Lisa Rijkers

Hi everyone, my name is Lisa Rijkers, a Master Animal Science student at Wageningen University & Research with a specialisation in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation. I am currently working on my master’s thesis in collaboration with IBREAM! I have gotten the unique opportunity to be involved with IBREAM’s pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis), or pygmy hippo hereafter, project.

Update Conservation Dogs project

Author: Mariska Snelleman Already underway for several months and what a progress we have made! The detection dogs were initially trained with one dung sample … Read more “Update Conservation Dogs project”

Calming Scents: Validating perception of a novel appeasing pheromone for use in African wild dog management

A male pack member of the Bothongo Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve pack resting Photo credit: Pia Riddell Earlier this year our valuable collaborators at … Read more “Calming Scents: Validating perception of a novel appeasing pheromone for use in African wild dog management”

Expedition in Tai forest to collect pygmy hippo pooh samples for gender analyis by conservation detection dogs: will the smell give us the answers?

Preparation and challenges of this mission The preparation of the field data collection mission started with the purchase of field equipment, the refilling of nitrogen … Read more “Expedition in Tai forest to collect pygmy hippo pooh samples for gender analyis by conservation detection dogs: will the smell give us the answers?”

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