Hippopotamus teeth impounded in Southern Tanzania alongside ivories to be smuggled

Hippopotamus teeth seem to be slowly but surely replacing elephants’ tusks in the poachers and wildlife traffickers’ bags.

Seven people have been arrested in the southern parts of Tanzania with illegal trophies, among them 145 sets of teeth belonging to slayed hippos.

The entire haul, according to the police, should be valued at 314 million/- equivalent to USD 130,000.

The Police in Ruvuma Region have impounded a total of 145 hippopotamus teeth, 64 elephant ivories and two warthog teeth, following the arrest of seven suspects, believed to be smugglers of wildlife species or their parts.

The Ruvuma Regional Police Commander, Marco Chilya revealed that the suspects and their consignment of wildlife trophies were arrested near the Tanga School in the Peramiho ward of Songea District.

According to the Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP) the nabbing of the seven accused resulted from a special operation conducted by the Tanzania Wildlife Management (TAWA) in association with the local police.

It is still now known where the hippos’ teeth were being taken to, or who killed the rather ferocious animals in order to extract their molars.

Based on the by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) there’s been a 30 percent drop in the population of hippos since 1994.

However, the trade of hippo body parts remains allowed.

As for the ivories found in their possession, it is also a mystery considering the entire world has banned the trade in elephant tusks.

“We are still searching for more culprits that are involved in illegal hunting or trafficking of wildlife and their products,” said the Police Chief.

In other criminal incidents reported in Ruvuma, two people Damas Atanas and Erick Kifaru in their 30s are being held for the alleged murder of Ramadhan Hakim a 19 year old who was reportedly killed during an ambush leading to the loss of his motorcycle.

But in a yet another strange episode, a lady known as Anisia Piji, aged 30 was badly hurt when another woman, known as Mama Yusta bit off her lips in an incident which was described to be family squabble.

After gnawing Ainisia’s mouth off, the suspect, Mama Yusta, a resident of Ruvuma reportedly fled from the scene and she is still at large, possibly hiding somewhere. The Police are still searching for her as the victim is being treated in hospital