The Humane Society petition to the US Fish and Wildlife

Attachments:
1. Copy of ESA petition;

2. Copy of CITES CoP19 document. South Africa succeeded in stopping the uplisting of hippo from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I, using the NDF (Non-detrimental finding) at the time.
3. Copy of USFW Finding.

In March 2022, the US Fish and Wildlife received a petition from The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society International, Humane Society Legislative Fund, and Center for Biological Diversity, requesting that the common hippopotamus be listed as a threatened species or an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act.

In the meantime, the US Fish & Wildlife Services have evaluated the petition and found that the listing of hippo may be warranted due to potential threats associated with habitat loss and degradation due to land conversion and urbanization, demand for irrigation and water, climate change, and war. The petitioners also presented information suggesting overutilization from legal international trade and poaching (Factor B), disease and predation (Factor C), and traditional and medicinal use of hippo parts (Factor E) may be threats to the common hippopotamus and that existing regulatory mechanisms, particularly as they pertain to trade and poaching, may be inadequate to address impacts of these threats (Factor D).

The USFW will now evaluate these potential threats during their 12-month status review and then make a finding.

We are not sure when the period for input will close, but will obtain that information.  In the meantime, Custodians will also approach the Scientific Authority of South Africa (SAoSA) for updated information since their original document dated 2022, to include in our comments.  We invited all our members to forward us any comments or information they might have to consider for inclusion in our comments.