April 14, 2026, 06:49April 14, 2026, 06:49
After years of discussions about the fate of drug lord Pablo Escobar’s hippos, the Colombian government wants to significantly reduce the population of the invasive species in the South American country. Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres announced that around 80 specimens should initially be culled. All efforts to house the animals in zoos or wildlife parks in Mexico, India or the Philippines have so far failed. However, the ministry is still working on resettlement plans.
Pablo Escobar’s hippos are in trouble in Colombia.Image: keystone
It is estimated that around 200 hippos currently live in Colombia. Without countermeasures, the population could rise to 1,000 individuals by 2035. According to experts, the animals unbalance the local ecosystem and endanger native species such as manatees and river turtles. They also repeatedly destroy fields and put people in danger.
The Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar once bought four African hippos for the zoo in his luxury estate Hacienda Nápoles. After the head of the Medellín cartel was shot by security forces in 1993, the property fell into disrepair. The hippos moved into the surrounding forests, reproduced vigorously and spread further and further. (dab/sda/dpa)