A hippopotamus in Zambia, where habitat is threatened.

Its name means “water horse,” apt for the hippopotamus, which spends most its life in deep water holes. But in Zambia’s Luangwa River region, drought, deforestation, and farming are threatening the streams that the hippos call home.

Using aerial and satellite images, rain gauges, soil and water samples, Conrad Heatwole, associate professor in Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech, is studying how agriculture, commerce, and tourism affect the water supply and, in turn, the wildlife in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park Continue reading →