Posted 1/15/2024, 7:11:00 AM
Escobar's Escaped Hippos Multiply in Colombia, Causing Havoc and Sparking Complex Conservation Efforts
- Pablo Escobar brought 4 African hippos to his private zoo in Colombia in the 1980s; after his death in 1993, they escaped and multiplied to over 160 now
- The hippos are becoming an invasive pest, disrupting ecosystems, destroying fields, and threatening residents
- The government plans to manage the hippos through sterilization, euthanization, and relocation
- Sterilization is complex and risky; talks are underway to relocate some hippos to Mexico, India, and the Philippines
- It's difficult to find a solution as shooting hippos sparked outrage before and releasing them in Africa risks spreading diseases