The Turgwe Hippo Trust is about saving the lives of families of hippos whose very existence would have ended way back in 1992, and helping those hippos to breed, have calves and live the lives they were born to lead as wild African animals.

Create protected spaces. We strengthen and protect the hippo's habitat by providing funding and improving infrastructures of parks, such as the Lower Zambezi National Park. Located along the Zambezi River, Lower Zambezi National Park is a critical habitat for hippos, elephants, African wild dogs, cheetahs, and more.

If you are you looking for a way to contribute to the conservation of endangered species, a symbolic adoption is a meaningful way to support the conservation efforts of threatened animals. By adopting forgotten species, you'll be making a direct impact on their survival.

Complete an adoption application form. Once you find a pet you're interested in, take note of their name, ID number and location in their “About Me” section of their adoption profile and fill out an online application form (no account or password is needed to apply for an animal).

The hippopotamus is an animal very important to the health of Africa's rivers and lakes. Their dung, or solid waste, helps Africa's aquatic ecosystem. But researchers warn that hippo populations are decreasing. They say that could damage ecosystems.

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Tell the world

• Hippos are the third largest mammals on Earth.
• There are two species of hippopotamids.
• Hippos are strong swimmers.
• Hippos are a threatened animal.
• Hippos are herbivores.
• The gestation period of a hippo is 243 days (eight months)
• Hippos are most active at night.
• They produce their own sunblock!

The three points in the adoption triad represent the child, birth family and adoptive parents, and the intertwined heart represents the love involved in an adoption relationship.

Pet adoption is the process of transferring responsibility for a pet that was previously owned by another party. Common sources for adoptable pets are animal shelters, rescue groups, or other pet owners.

Adoption licensees charge fees for their services, generally $15,000-$30,000. There are additional fees for a homestudy assessment and parent training programs.

For children adopted through the public system, for instance, there is usually no fee at all. Most private adoptions, on the other hand, range from about $15,000-$25,000 (for a child born in Canada) to about $25,000-$50,000+ (for a child born in the United States or overseas).

On this World Hippo Day, learn some fun facts about these beautiful animals!

• Hippos are the third largest mammals on Earth.
• There are two species of hippopotamids.
• Hippos are strong swimmers.
• Hippos are a threatened animal.
• Hippos are herbivores.
• The gestation period of a hippo is 243 days (eight months)

Small fish, snails, and other water animals eat the nutrient-rich dung to survive. In turn, these small animals are eaten by larger animals and fish, and usually end up being eaten by humans. Without hippos in Africa, there would not be as much of a food supply for humans.

Products found included leather products (purses, belts, Western boots and hides), raw ivory (molar teeth, tusks and full skulls), worked ivory (carvings, scrimshawed tusk, painted tusk, ivory-handled bottle openers and knives, and figurines), and trophies (full shoulder mounts and mounted teeth).