When local communities reported possible sightings of pygmy hippos in southeast Liberia, Fauna & Flora needed a fast, cost-effective way to confirm it. From just 20 water samples, NatureMetrics’ eDNA surveys detected the pygmy hippo at ten sites and revealed 165 other species, six of them endangered, giving Fauna & Flora the evidence to make the case for protecting the area.

The pygmy hippopotamus is not only smaller than its better-known relative but also much rarer. Listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, it is estimated to have fewer than 3,000 mature individuals left in the wild.

Fauna & Flora has worked with NatureMetrics on eDNA testing in Liberia since 2019 and has since expanded this work internationally. The Fauna & Flora–NatureMetrics partnership was the first to contribute to eBioAtlas, a world-leading programme by NatureMetrics and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). eBioAtlas uses cutting-edge DNA technology to collect species data on an unprecedented scale, especially from places where data is lacking, and is building a global database for eDNA-based biodiversity intelligence to help tackle the extinction crisis.

In 2020, local communities told Fauna & Flora that pygmy hippos might be present in southeast Liberia. Fauna & Flora and Liberia’s Forestry Development Authority wanted to confirm whether this threatened species was living in the area.

Pygmy hippos are nocturnal forest-dwellers and, unlike their larger relatives, live alone or in pairs rather than in conspicuous herds. This makes them very hard to see directly. Their presence can be picked up through footprints, dung and feeding signs, or with camera traps, but these traditional methods are difficult to use at scale across a remote landscape.

Fauna & Flora needed up-to-date information on the species’ status and distribution to support targeted conservation, and a scalable, cost-effective way to get it.

NatureMetrics worked with Fauna & Flora and the FDA to carry out an eDNA survey across three river systems in southeast Liberia: the Durboh River, the Dugbe River and the Grand-Kru River Gee Proposed Protected Area.

Fauna & Flora’s technical team collected filtered water samples at 20 sites, supported by the Sapo National Park biologist and two of the national park’s community biomonitoring auxiliaries. The samples were sent to NatureMetrics and analysed in our laboratory using our eDNA from Water service.

Our easy-to-use sampling kits meant the fieldwork needed only minimal training and technical supervision, so local teams could collect high-quality data themselves.

The 20 water samples revealed a wealth of biodiversity data.

The pygmy hippo was detected at ten of the 20 sites, confirming the local reports and giving a clearer picture of where this endangered species occurs.

The same samples also detected 165 other species, six of them endangered, creating a far-reaching snapshot of biodiversity across the area.

Building such a comprehensive account of the wildlife in this important area would have been expensive and time-consuming with traditional methods. With eDNA, it was achieved in a fraction of the time, using simple sampling methods and minimal training.

The eDNA survey gave Fauna & Flora the evidence it needed to act, and laid the foundations for a growing partnership.

Evidence to protect the area
‍Confirming the pygmy hippo and six other endangered species gives Fauna & Flora a strong case for protecting the area and the species within it.

Empowering local communities
‍Because sampling is simple and needs little technical supervision, Fauna & Flora can support local communities to keep ownership and stewardship of their environment, without relying on specialist survey teams.

More data for less effort
‍A single set of 20 water samples delivered both the targeted pygmy hippo survey and a wider biodiversity baseline, at no extra cost or effort.

Contributing to a global picture
‍The project is one of several Fauna & Flora is running with NatureMetrics across Africa, generating data for the global biodiversity map of the world’s river systems being created by eBioAtlas.

A growing partnership
‍The collaboration has since expanded to other project sites across Africa, using eDNA to demonstrate the conservation impact of projects in terrestrial, coastal and marine environments. Fauna & Flora and NatureMetrics have also formed a working group to explore how DNA-based methods can support new standards and metrics for measuring progress towards the Biodiversity Net Gain targets of large businesses.

Together, the two organisations aim to show NGOs, businesses and governments the power of eDNA to measure the metrics that matter, because better biodiversity monitoring leads to better management and a more sustainable future.